Abstract

AQUINO MARTINEZ, Jesús Gaudencio; SANCHEZ FLORES, Alberto; GONZALEZ HUERTA, Andrés  and  SANCHEZ PALE, Jesús Ricardo. Resistance of Varieties and Hybrids of Corn (Zea mays) to Sporisorium reilianum and Grain Yield. Rev. mex. fitopatol [online]. 2011, vol.29, n.1, pp.39-49. ISSN 2007-8080.

The response to head smut Sporisorium reilianum of 35 maize commercial varieties and hybrids (Zea mays L.) were compared in Metepec, Mexico in the year 2006. Non inoculated seed of 36 genotypes (trial 1, T1) and inoculated seed (trial 2, T2), were planted under a randomized block design with three replications (usable plot of 16 m²), in order to identify resistant genotypes to the pathogen. At 245 days after sowing (das), the following results were obtained: In T1, 94.4% of the genotypes were highly resistant (HR) and 5.6% moderately resistant (MR) to head smut; and in T2, 8.3% of the genotypes were immune (I), 77.8% highly resistant (HR) and 13.9% moderately resistant (MR). Varieties and commercial hybrids with resistance (incidence of ≤3%) to S. reilianum and good grain yield (>8 t ha^-1) were found, such as Niebla, H-52, Almoloya de Juarez, Z-60, HID-17, Condor, H-40, H-33, AS-722, AS-721, H-50, HS-2 and Promesa. These may be recommended for commercial planting, to start a breeding program or to generate technology in the field of study.

Keywords : Corn head smut; Sporisorium reilianum; genetic resistance; multivariate analysis.