Selection of superior and stable fodder maize hybrids using MGIDI and MTSI indices
Palaniyappan Subramani, Ganesan Kalipatty Nalliappan, Manivannan Narayana, Ravichandran Veerasamy and Senthil Natesan
Abstract: Maize is recognized as an exceptional forage crop with superior forage quality among cereal forage crops. For forage breeders, the primary objective is to identify high-yielding and stable genotypes. The aim of this study was to select superior and stable fodder maize hybrids from 195 single-cross hybrids on the basis of 16 variables. The selection was carried out using the MGIDI index within each season, with a selection intensity of 5%. Genotypes G48, G47, and G79, which had the lowest MGIDI indices in the rainy 2022, winter 2022, and summer 2023 seasons, respectively, were identified as superior in the 16 variables studied. In addition, the MTSI index was used to evaluate genotype stability across multiple traits, identifying genotype G24 as having the lowest MTSI index. These robust statistical tools proved effective in identifying the most stable and high-performing genotypes among the 195 single-cross forage maize hybrids analyzed.