ABSTRACT
Maize is susceptible to a number of diseases that can infect all plant organs and serve as a constraint on cereal production. The reduction in cereal production caused by disease is estimated at an average of 9.4%. Corn root rot contributes greatly to the reduction in grain production and quality. The main objective of this work was to review the research on root rot in maize to determine the susceptibility of genotypes to root rot and to quantify the inheritance of resistance to root rot in maize. The methodology used was a complete 8 × 8 diallel design planted during the year 1999/2000. Root discoloration, plant length, root volume, effective volume and yield were the evaluated parameters. To analyze the data and determine the combinatorial abilities, genetic correlations, heritability and correlated response, diallel analysis was used. Eight parental lines; P28, I137TN, MP706, E739, MO17, B37, B73, and B14 were planted. The lines were crossed into each other, all combinations according to the complete diallel model (Model 1). The F1 was harvested after maturation. For statistical analysis, the version of the Agrobase program (2016) was used. Results show that F1 hybrids showed significant differences in root rot discoloration, plant height, root volume, effective root volume and yield. The P28 line and the B73XE739 cross had, respectively, the highest general and specific combinations. Root discoloration had the highest genetic correlation (rA = 0.47) with plant length. Broad and narrow heritability for root rot discoloration were, respectively, h2 = 0.81 and h2 = 0.51. Root rot discoloration showed the highest correlated response (CR = 0.14) on plant length.