“V-561”, nueva variedad tropical de maíz

Few maize producers can purchase certified hybrid seed, so the other option for low-income farmers is to purchase certified seed from free-pollination varieties. In Chiapas, the variety V-534 was released in 1990, and it was highly appreciated by the producers, reaching up to 50 000 ha in its first year with certified seed. In 2000, a scheme of Combined Selection of Families of Whole Brothers in the variety V-534 was started in order to renew it, to increase its yield potential, but without changing its phenotypic characteristics of plant and ear. After three cycles of selection, the experimental varieties formed were evaluated and one of them was detected as outstanding, which was called V-561. This new variety can produce up to 1.4 t more than the V-534, with a potential yield of 77.7 t ha-1 , under good weather conditions. Its grain characteristics are excellent for making white and good quality tortillas.