World Journal of Agricultural Research, 2015, Vol. 3, No. 5, 153-162 Available online at http://pubs.sciepub.com/wjar/3/5/2 © Science and Education Publishing DOI:10.12691/wjar-3-5-2 Analysis of Yield and Yield Attributing Traits of Maize Genotypes in Chitwan, Nepal Bikal Ghimire * , Deepika Timsina Institute of Agriculture and Animal Science (IAAS), Tribhuwan University, Rampur Campus, Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal *Corresponding author: anzealex@gmail.com Received August 25, 2015; Accepted September 24, 2015 Abstract Fourteen maize genotypes were evaluated at National Maize Research Program (NMRP), Rampur, Chitwan, Nepal with objective was to explore genetic variability and investigate yield and yield attributing traits from 22 nd October, 2014 to 12 th April, 2015. The experiment was designed in randomized complete block with three replication. Phenotypic observation was taken for important quantitative traits viz. Soil Plant Analysis Development (SPAD) reading, days to 50% tasseling, days to 50% silking, ear height, plant height, days to physiological maturity, ear length, ear girth, ear weight, number of kernel row ear -1 , number of kernel row -1 , five hundred kernel weight. The result showed that traits plant height, ear height, ear length, ear girth, ear weight, no. of kernel row per ear, no. of kernel per row exhibited positive and highly significant correlation with grain yield per hectare while SPAD reading and five hundred kernel weight given significant correlation. The analysis also indicated that days to 50% tasseling and days to 50% silking explained negative and highly significant correlation with grain yield per hectare. Similarly, days to maturity showed negative and non significant correlation with grain yield per hectare. The result also reflected that genotype ARUN-1EV has been found comparatively superior to ARUN-2 for major yield components. The genetic study revealed that days to silking, days to tasseling and grain yield per hectare were highly heritable (>0.6). Higher GCV and high GAM indicated efficient indirect selection for higher grain yield per hectare based on these traits. Thus, high GAM and GCV was observed in ear weight, grain yield per hectare and ear height. Correlation analysis revealed that the traits plant height, ear length, ear girth, number of kernel per row, ear weight were most yield determinative traits and hence, simultaneous selection for these traits might bring an improvement in grain yield. The research gave the finding that use of ARUN-1EV can be reliable for further research and breeding programs. Keywords: maize, GCV, GAM, genetic variance, correlation coefficient, genetic advance as percent of mean, genetic diversity Cite This Article: Bikal Ghimire, and Deepika Timsina, “Analysis of Yield and Yield Attributing Traits of Maize Genotypes in Chitwan, Nepal.” World Journal of Agricultural Research, vol. 3, no. 5 (2015): 153-162. doi: 10.12691/wjar-3-5-2. 1. Introduction Maize (Zea mays L.), has, a remarkable productive potential among the cereals thus comes under world's three most important cereal crops. After Paddy, Maize is the second important cereal crop of Nepal in terms of area, production and productivity [20]. At present, the Maize sown area in Nepal is 9,28,761 ha with a total production of 22,83,222 metric tons and productivity of 2458 Kg ha-1 [20]. In Chitwan, maize is cultivated on total area of 9750 ha with the total production of 29,250 metric tons and productivity of 3,000 Kg ha-1 [20]. Out of total maize cultivated area in Terai region, 95.95 % area is under improved and 4.05 % area under local maize. Similarly, In Hills, 90.78 % area is under improved maize and 9.22 % area under local landraces and in High Hills, 88.93 % area is under improved maize and 11.07 % area with local landraces [20]. Maize display an orderly sequence of development of yield components namely number of ear plant -1 , number of kernel row -1 , number of kernel row ear -1 and hundred kernel weights [25]. Thus, indirect selection can be used through searching for improved yield components [27]. Grain yield is considered to have positive correlation with plant height, and hundred kernel weight [2], similarly days to silking showed positive correlation with grain yield plant -1 [1]. Yield is a complex character, which is the product of multiplicative interactions of a number of its component characters [8], cannot be improved to a greater extent on its own. Hence, a clear picture of contribution of each component in final expression of complex character is essential [16]. Grzesiak [9] observed considerable genotypic variability among various maize genotypes for different traits. Ihsan et al., [13] also reported significant genetic differences for morphological parameter for maize genotypes. This variability is a key to crop improvement [27]. Welsh [27] observed significant genetic variation in important agronomic traits especially earliness to sufficiently justify the initiation of selection program.