Agronomic potentials of quality protein maize hybrids developed in Ghana

English

A quality protein maize (QPM) hybrid programme was started in 1991 to develop and promote high and stableyielding QPM hybrids to increase production of nutritionally superior maize varieties in Ghana. Six 3- way QPM hybrids developed from inbred lines originating from germplasm of the International Centre for Maize and Wheat Improvement (CIMMYT) were evaluated on research stations and in farmers\' fields in Ghana from 1995 to 1996. In the on-station evaluations, grain yields across 10 sites in both years averaged 6.0 ton ha-1 for the three hybrids (GH132-28, GH110-5 and GH2328-88), 5.22 ton ha-1 for Obatanpa, and 3.60 ton ha-1 for the local maize variety. In farmers\' fields, data from over 50 farm sites in 1995 and 1996 showed mean yields of 4.95 ton ha-1 for the three hybrids, and 4.28 ton ha-1 for Obatanpa compared to 3.59 ton ha-1 for farmers\' varieties. On the average, the hybrids were similar to Obatanpa in days to 50 per cent silking, but were shorter in plant height and ear placement. Consumer preference tests showed that the three hybrids were rated similar to the local variety in popular traditional food preparations such as ‘kenkey\' and ‘tuo zafi\'. In 1997, the National Variety Release Committee approved the release of GH132-28, GH110-5, and GH2328-88 under the local names Dadaba, Mamaba, and CIDA-ba, respectively. These hybrids are recommended for planting in all the major agro-ecologies to boost maize production in Ghana.