Breeding of highly productive middle-early hybrids of corn in the National Center of Grain by the name of P.P. Lukyanenko

Spreading of corn cultivation areas sets for breeders a task to develop highly productive middle-early hybrids of corn with a quick moisture loss by grain during ripening. In accordance with this task and the subject schedule of research of the institute, in 2014-2105 in the conditions of the central zone of the Krasnodar region, the grain productivity of new middle-early hybrids of corn was studied. Hybrid Kr 740 × Kr 602 bred at the National center of grain by the name of P.P. Lukyanenko was used as parental germplasm for the production of new middle-early lines of corn. On its basis, 41 new middle-early lines of corn were developed by means of a long-term selection based on morphological and biological traits. Three testers from the genetic collection of the institute, Kr 802 MV, Kr 752 and Kr 244 MV, were taken to evaluate the new lines on the combining ability. 123 hybrid combinations were created and studied in the control nursery using three testers and new lines. The results of indicators of general and specific combining ability for two years of research helped to identify the most promising lines, AS 209, AS 211, AS 224 and AS 240, which can be used in breeding programs for development of highly productive middle-early hybrids. The best hybrids obtained as a result of cross-breeding of new middle-early lines and testers formed a grain yield at the level of 10.02-10.06 t per ha and definitely exceeded the standard Krasnodarsky 206 MV for the grain yield by 1.25-2.03 t per ha. The harvesting moisture of the new hybrids was lower than that of the standard by 0.5-4.7%. The reaction of new middle-early lines of corn to the cytoplasmic male sterility of the Moldavian type was studied. It was established that 80.5% of the studied lines are sterility maintainers, 7.3% are half-restorers of fertility and 12.2% are M-type fertility restorers.