PRELIMINARY EVALUATION OF LOCAL MAIZE GERMPLASM FROM U.P. HILLS

Abstract

Maize (Zm mays L.) has adapted itself to an array of environments from
tropics to temperate regions of both the northern and southern hemispheres..
Being a cross pollinated crop, it permits free flow of genes beyond political
boundaries to evolve new genetic recombinants which has enhanced its adaptability
(Vasal and Taba 1987). However, poor genetic diversity among the
local germplasm has been reported from the plain areas in India (Rachie,
1962). Contrary to this, the higher elevations of north-eastern hills of India,
Nepal, Bhutan and Indonesia are endowed with rich genetic diversity in maize
(Singh, 1979). Although occurrence of substantial variability has been documented
from Chamba valley of Himachal Pradesh (Khehra et al. 1979), no
systematic attempts have so far been reported with re~pect to variability studies
in the indigenous wealth of maize crop from U.P. hills. In this context, local
germplasm collected from eight districts of U.P. hills was evaluated, to study
the extent of variability and genetic diversity to breed better varieties for the
hills