Knowledge Center Catalog

Development and spread of improved maize varieties and hybrids in developing countries

Timothy, D.H.

Development and spread of improved maize varieties and hybrids in developing countries - Washington, DC (USA) : AID, 1988. - xi, 71 pages - Printed

Maize is the third most important cereal crop in the developing world, after rice and wheat. Attempts have beed made over many years to improve maize varieties and hybrids used in developing countries. National and international programs have been involved. In the latter case, research has been concentrated at the International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT) in Mexico and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) in Higeria. Both centers carry out their work in collaboration with national research programs. Although the adoption of high-yielding wheat varieties developed by CIMMYT and of rice developed by other centers has been well documented, the same is not true of maize. Part of the rearon is that the genetics of maize are quite different drom, and much more complicated than, wheat or rice. Improved varieties are not as easily identified visually. Also relatively little effort has been put into the measurement process. As a result, it is not well known how much impact the maize research programs have had at the farm level. This report is a first step in rectifiying this information gap. In attempts to identify the maize varieties, hybrids, population, pools, and lines developed by CIMMYT and IITA that are being used in national programs in developing nations. It also incorporates, where available, estimates of area planted with hybrids and improved varieties. Further work is needed to more fully document and the main gene pools and to verify and expand the statistical data at the national level.


Text in English


Agronomic characters
Breeding methods
Cultivation
Germplasm
International cooperation
Crop production
Research
Uses
Varieties
Zea mays
Hybrids

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