Kenneth Chukwuka Mkpuma
Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology, Kenya
Abstract Title:
Line × Tester analysis for yield performance of exotic × adapted maize (zea mays l.) developed in benin republic for drought tolerance and maize streak disease resistance
Biography:
Kenneth Chukwuka Mkpuma is a PhD candidate in Plant Breeding at Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT), Kenya, and a Research Scientist at the Agricultural Research Council of Nigeria (ARCN). He is a Research Fellow under the EU Intra-Africa Academic Mobility Programme and the CIMMYT–Vision for Adapted Crops and Soils (VACS) Capacity Program. His research focuses on the genetic improvement of leafy amaranth for drought tolerance using agro-morphological, physiological, genomic, and biochemical approaches, including genome-wide association studies (GWAS). He has contributed to international research initiatives and published peer-reviewed articles in plant breeding and crop improvement.
Research Interests:
Background: Maize streak disease (MSD) and drought are major constraints to maize production in sub-Saharan Africa, limiting yield and food security. This study evaluated the combining ability, yield performance, and molecular diversity of drought-tolerant and MSD-resistant maize inbred lines crossed with adapted Beninese germplasm to identify superior parents and hybrids for maize improvement.
Methods: Field surveys were conducted during the minor (March/April) and major (June/July) cropping seasons across ten maize-producing villages in Parakou, northern Benin, to assess MSD incidence, severity, and associated weather variables. Drought-tolerant and MSD-resistant inbred lines from IITA and CIMMYT were crossed with 15 local Beninese cultivars using a line × tester design. The resulting hybrids were evaluated for agronomic performance, combining ability, heritability, heterosis, and molecular diversity using SSR markers.
Results: MSD incidence and severity were highest during the major cropping seasons, with Alahajikpara and Baka recording the greatest disease severity (4.64 and 4.56) and incidence (83.31%). Relative humidity and rainfall were positively associated with disease development. The highest grain yields were obtained from L2 (5.90 t ha⁻¹), DT2 × L2 (5.35 t ha⁻¹), and DT1 × L8 (5.04 t ha⁻¹). Grain yield was positively correlated with plot weight, kernels per row, and ear length. Combining ability analysis identified elite parental lines and hybrid combinations, while narrow-sense heritability ranged from 0.70 to 1.00 and mid-parent heterosis reached 148%. SSR analysis revealed high genetic polymorphism, with several hybrids carrying quantitative trait loci associated with both MSD resistance and drought tolerance.
Conclusion: The identified elite germplasm provides valuable genetic resources for developing high-yielding, climate-resilient maize varieties with combined resistance to MSD and drought for Benin Republic and similar agroecological regions.
