Agronomic Performance, Genetic Variability and Heritability of Yield and its Attributing Characters in Maize (Zea mays L.) Hybrids Grown in Northern Sudan

Two introduced Egyptian maize hybrids from Misr HyTtech Co. (HyTech2066-Yellow and HyTech1100-White) were tested against two standard checks (Pan6966 and Hudieba2) in Merowe Research Station Farm for two consecutive winter seasons (2012/13 and 2013/14) to estimate the genetic variability, broad sense heritability, genetic advance and correlation  coefficient analysis. The genotypes were arranged in RCB Design with 3 replicates. Grain yield, yield components and related traits were studied. The maize hybrids showed significant differences for all the parameters studied except the 100 – grain weight. The results obtained indicated that the yellow maize hybrid HyTech2066 gave significantly out - yielded than the two standard checks in grain yield with average yield advantage over Hudieba2 and Pan6966 amounting to 22.6% and 24.1% respectively.  HyTech2066 was significantly earlier than the check Pan6966. The genetic advance as percent of mean was high for plant height (16.77%), cob length (16.43%), days to 50% tasseling (6.21%), number of plants per plot (5.42%), number of cobs per plant (1.88%), and days to 90% maturity (0.75%) indicating additive gene action for these traits. High estimates of heritability were observed for cob length, plant height and  days to 50% tasseling . High to moderate heritability with moderate estimates of genetic advance recorded for plant height, number of plants per plot and days to 50% tasseling where careful selection may lead towards improvement for these traits. Hence, provides better opportunities for selecting plant material for these traits in maize.