Genetic Divergence in Relation to Geographical Origin in Maize (Zea Mays)

Abstract

Genetic divergence using Mahalanobis's D2 statistic was studied for days to 50 percent tasselling, ear height, weight of dry cobs, and grain in fourteen strains of maize representative of the major maize growing areas of the world. The varieties differed significantly for each individual character as well as for the four characters considered together. Ear height contributed most to the total divergence, followed by 50 percent tasselling. The fourteen strains were divided into three clusters depending on the similarities of their D2 values. Genetic divergence was not found to be related to geographic origin in this crop. It is suggested that genetically diverse parents may be exploited more successfully through hybridization for the evolution of future composites or hybrids.