engleski

Influences of genotype on yield and zinc status in maize

Zinc (Zn) deficiency is one of the wordwide nutritional problems. Maize breeding for higher zinc concentration in grain has been proposed as a sustainable strategy for reducing Zn deficiency in humans. Objectives of this study were to examine differences among six maize hybrids for grain yield and Zn concentrations in leaf and grain and to determine relations among these traits. Six maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids (Os298P, Tvrtko 303, Os444, Os499, Os596, Os552 and Os596 developed in Croatia) were grown under field conditions on stagnic luvisol (pH in 1n KCl = 4.45) in 2006 and 2007. The trial was conducted in four replications (basic plot 14.0 m2). The ear-leaf at flowering and grain at maturity were taken for ICP analysis. Drought stress considerably affected grain yield and Zn status of maize plants.The hybrid Os499 was characterized by the highest yield (12. 81 t/ha) and this was 15% higher compared to mean yield of remaining five hybrids (mean 11.14 t/ha). However, Zn concentration in grain of the hybrid was significantly lower (14.9 mg Zn/kg) than in the remaining hybrids. The hybrid Os499 had also the lowest Zn concentration in leaf (19.7 mg Zn/kg). However, our results suggest that generally there is no consistent relation between grain yield and both Zn concentration in leaf and grain. Further work should be done to elucidate underlying physiological mechanisms of the relation between these traits, particularly in cases when the relations are characterized by drought stress as an additional complicating factor.

maize ; genotype effects ; leaf zinc ; grain zinc

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