Studies in Seed vigour of different maize (Zea mays L.) hybrids and composite varieties under North Indian Condition

Abstract

Three hybrids and one composite variety of maize (Zea mays L.) were studies for seven seed vigour characters to predict the field emergence. The seed of each variety was stored for eight nine months under ambient conditions at Karnal before testing for various parameters during 2010-12. Hybrid ‘ HQPM -1 was found to show high germination at first and final count, seedling dry weight and accelerated against test. ‘HM-4’ and ‘HM-11’ were superior for field emergence, first and final counts of germination. Variety ‘HM-4’ was also significantly superior for coeloptile length and cold test, whereas hybrid ‘J-1006’ was better for field emergence and coleoptiles length. Various vigour tests did not uniformly predict field emergence in different cultivars. Field emergence exhibited significant correlation with germination at first count in majority of cultivars, thus can be used to predict field emergence. Correlations of field emergence with accelerated aging test in ‘HQPM -1’ and with cold test in hybrid ‘J-1006’ were also observed. None of the test was uniformly correlated with field emergence in all the varieties, thereby suggesting that the behaviour of different varieties in the performance of various seed vigour parameters was different from each other.