An approach to establish inbreeding tolerant base population in maize (Zea mays L.)

Hybrid maize breeding is dependent upon the extraction of good and vigorous inbreds from the source populations. However, progress is impeded more often owing to chronic inbreeding depression. The present investigation aimed to form an inbeeding tolerant base population through the use of the genetic parameter of inbreeding depression (ID). In this endeavour, the nine crosses which showed non-signifiant inbreeding depression with better mean performance in the F₂ generation were selected to constitute the base population for an important trait namely performance index (PI).