Variability and stability evaluation in Indian Maize (Zea mays L.) landraces collected from North Eastern Himalayan region

Maize landraces collected from Mizoram state of North Eastern India were evaluated for three years (2017, 2018 and 2019) to assess the amount of variability present among the genotypes, association of traits and stability (parametric and non-parametric). MZM-44 was found to be a superior line with respect to yield and yield related traits. Least difference between GCV and PCV in number of days to silking and tasseling suggested minimal influence of environment in three years which is contrasting as compared to yield per plant. Yield per plant was highly correlated with ear diameter and test weight. From path coefficient analysis it was observed that thousand seed weight has the highest direct effect on the yield predicting the possible influence of these characters on yield increase. The genotypes were grouped into seven distinct clusters. Stable line with respect to yield is MZM- 40 according to four stability parameters and MZM-34 by five stability parameters. But there was no significant correlation between the yield and stability parameters noted which proves that no stability parameter can be depicted as superior and all have their own shortfalls in explaining the stable genotype with respect to yield. Presence of diversity in germplasm for yield and yield related traits was observed and few stable genotypes for different characters in three years were identified. This experiment paves the way for future yield and allied traits improvement programmes where the identified genotypes could play a pivotal role.