Combining abilities analysis for ear rot resistance in popcorn hybrids development

ABSTRACT Ear rot caused by fungi of genus Fusarium (FER) is one of the potentially harmful diseases to grain quality in maize. Given the capacity to produce mycotoxins, FER presents a risk to food safety. This study sought to identify parents and indicate hybrids of popcorn with a higher level of resistance to the incidence and severity of FER. Hybrids were produced from the crossing of 15 lines in S7 generation and 5 testers. The hybrids, together with the parents and five more genotypes used as control, were evaluated in a field trial. It was used a randomized block design arranged in 10 x 1...