Morphological and Agronomic Responses of Hungarian Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids in Mongolia
Keywords:
exotic germplasm, maize, genotype, agronomic traits, biomass yield, grain yieldAbstract
Evaluation of exotic germplasm is an important strategy for broadening the genetic base of breeding materials and improving crop adaptation to local environments. This study aimed to assess the morphological and agronomic performance of introduced maize hybrids and identify promising materials for future maize breeding programs in Mongolia. Field experiments were conducted under rain-fed conditions at the Crop Breeding Division of the Plant Science and Agricultural Research Institute during the 2020 and 2021 growing seasons. Fourteen maize hybrids originating from Japan, Canada, Belarus, and Hungary were initially evaluated. Based on their relatively short maturity period, four Hungarian hybrids (TK-178, Bodrog, Aniella, and MV-241) were selected for detailed analysis.
The hybrids were evaluated for germination rate, plant height, ear height, tassel length, ear diameter, ear length, kernel length, ear weight, number of kernels per ear, 1000-kernel weight, biomass yield, days to anthesis, growing period, and grain yield. Two-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed that year significantly affected germination rate, tassel length, ear length, kernel length, ear diameter, ear weight, number of kernels per ear, and 1000-kernel weight. Significant genotypic differences were observed for plant height, tassel length, ear diameter, and number of kernels per ear. Principal component analysis based on key agronomic traits indicated that the four hybrids exhibited similar performance in terms of grain yield and biomass production under non-irrigated conditions.
The results suggest that these Hungarian maize hybrids possess favorable adaptation to Mongolian growing conditions and may serve as valuable genetic resources for the development of early-maturing maize varieties suitable for rain-fed production systems in Mongolia.
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