Abstract

RESENDIZ RAMIREZ, Zoila et al. Combinatorial aptitude and resistance to leaf damage of Spodoptera rugiperda (J. E. Smith) in maize germplasm native to Tamaulipas. Rev. Mex. Cienc. Agríc [online]. 2018, vol.9, n.1, pp.81-93. ISSN 2007-0934.  https://doi.org/10.29312/remexca.v9i1.849.

An agricultural pest of economic importance is Spodoptera frugiperda, in Tamaulipas it is common the incidence in corn, causing foliar damage which reduces the yield of grain, a solution to this problem is to use resistant cultivars; the native germplasm of Tamaulipas co-evolved with this insect, causing resistance to it. In order to evaluate the genetic effects and resistance of maize cultivars derived from native germplasm, foliar damage caused by S. frugiperda was determined in six inbred lines and their 30 crosses, under application conditions and non-application of insecticide in the Location of Güemez, Tamaulipas (spring-summer, 2015), a dialelic analysis was carried out with Griffing’s design I. For foliar damage, there were significant effects of general combinatorial aptitude (ACG), specific (ACE) and ACG interaction×insecticide treatment; there were only significant effects of ACG in the non-application treatment. The genetic expression of this germplasm determined by the mean values of the leaf damage showed a wide variation, the line LlHL5S3 had significant and negative effects of ACG and the crosses TGL2S3×LlHL5S3 the greater effects of negative ACE and less leaf damage (1.12), the crosses PWL1S3×TGL2S3, PWL1S3×LlNL4S3, TML3S3×LlNL4S3 and TML3S3×PWL6S3 excelled with leaf damage greater than 1.70; however, they had a reduction of less than 15.5% of grain yield. The variation of leaf damage depended on additive and non-additive effects and there was resistance to S. frugiperda, both due to non-preference and tolerance to leaf damage.

Keywords : Zea mays; armyworm; combinatorial ability; diallelic.