Seed and seedling vigour is an aspect of seed quality which affects field establishment and performance. Low maize yields have been reported to be affected by several factors in which poor quality seed with low seed and seedling vigour. Information is scarce on seed and seedling vigour in maize inbred lines developed for tropical environments. Fifteen genotypes of tropical maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines were evaluated to determine the level of differences in seed and seedling vigour traits, and extent of relationships among traits and their heritability. A substantial amount of genetic variability was found, which suggested that most of the traits under study could be improved through selection and utilized in breeding programs. Positive and significant interrelationship among seed germination and seedling traits and a positive correlation between seed germination and seed vigour and field emergence showed that these could be given due consideration in crop improvement for seed and seedling vigour. High genotypic coefficient of variation, heritability and genetic advance were obtained for seed germination, seed emergence, shoot length and seedling vigour index I and II, revealing the possibility of improvement in these characters through direct selection. The principal component analysis (PCA) identified seed emergence, shoot length, seedling vigour index I and II and tetrazolium vigour as characters that contributed greatly to variation in seed vigour in the maize inbred lines. Cluster analysis partitioned the genotypes into two groups, with group I consisting of seven genotypes and group II comprised the other eight genotypes, which suggested that hybridization between the two groups could lead to high level of heterosis. Genotype V 5 had superior seedling vigour traits compared to other genotypes. Seedling emergence, shoot length, seedling vigour index I, seedling vigour index II and tetrazolium vigour are effective characters for good seedling vigour traits in maize inbred lines investigated.
Seeds of 24 West African rice (Oryza sativa L.) genotypes were evaluated for seed vigour traits in the laboratory and field in two cropping seasons at the Research Farm of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Seed yields of these genotypes were also determined in the field during the two seasons. Data collected on seed vigour traits were subjected to multivariate analysis including principal component analysis (PCA) and cluster analysis. The first three axes of the principal component analysis across the two seasons captured 86.34% of the total variation among the entries and identified seedling vigour index-I, seedling vigour index-II, speed of germination index, percentage germination, seedling establishment, emergence percentage and seed yield per plant as the characters contributing most to the variation. Cluster analysis classified these genotypes into four distinct groups based on germination and emergence percentages. Fifteen of the genotypes with mean values of between 60.43% and 65.18%, clustered in group 1, two genotypes each with mean values of 65.71% and 58.81% and 20.11% and 29.49% clustered in groups II and IV respectively while the remaining five genotypes with mean values of between 55.19% and 55.88% clustered in group III. Hybridization of genotypes across dusters could lead to increase in heterosis in cross progenies. Those characters identified by PCA could be included in the crop improvement programme for improved seed quality within West African low land rice germplasm.
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