Yield potential of super sweet corn genotypes in progressive breeding stages

Abstract

This study aimed to present the advancements in different breeding stages of super sweet corn (SS), from heterotic field corn populations to the single-cross of SS. Two parental field corn populations, four backcrossed SS populations, four SS intervarietal hybrids (SS-IH), eighteen SS single hybrids (SS-SCH) and two controls were evaluated in two environments over two crop years. The SS-IH and SS-SCH categories presented the highest ear yield, and SS-SCH presented the highest ear yield without husk (11.3 t ha-1). Although SS-SCH was the most productive category, it presented the lowest husk coverage quality. The ear yield and husk cover traits expressed the highest heterosis based on the midparents. The hybrid genotype categories (SS-SCH, SS-IH and controls) had the greatest ear length and diameter, as well as plant and ear height. It was possible to conclude that the techniques used to exploit heterosis are efficient in increasing SS yield but not husk coverage, since this trait requires productive parents. Single-crosses, such as LCSH-116 x LP8HS-129 and LCSH-116 x LP8HS-130, stood out as promising genotypes for registration since they recorded high husk coverage yield and quality.