Morphological traits determining drought tolerance in local and cimmyt maize inbreds (Zea Mays L.)

A total number of 190 lines of maize comprising of 85 inbreds derived from local land races and 105 lines from CIMMYT were evaluated for drought tolerance. Observations on different morphological parameters including anthesis -silking interval (ASI), plant height (cm), leaf senescence, leaf rolling, and grain yield/plant (g) were recorded by limiting irrigation at different growth stages, viz; at knee height, grain filling, before flowering and both at flowering and grain filling and compared with normal irrigated crop (control). Different morphological traits were computed with yield accounting for the drought tolerating ability. Plant height was affected severely when irrigation was restricted at knee high stage. It was observed that in majority of the genotypes screened anthesis-silking interval increases during stress and severe stress conditions. In general, local inbreds were observed more drought tolerant as compared to CIMMYT inbreds. Local inbreds KI-30, KI-55, KI-57 and KI-61 with shorter ASI could resist the moisture stress to some extent.