Development and Evaluation of Promising Popcorn Hybrids Developed from Local and Exotic Germplasm ..

Popcorn is one of the oldest forms of field corn and is mostly consumed as a snack. Egypt currently has no locally registered popcorn hybrids, so all of the country's needs are met by imported hybrids.As a result, developing local popcorn hybrids is critical. Eightysix promising yellow F1- hybrids were produced at Nubaria research station (30°54' N, 29°30' E) maize programme, Field Crops Research Institute, ARC, Egypt, using local and exotic germplasm.These hybrids were divided into two classes (A and B), and each one, along with two exotic hybrid checks, was tested under irrigation in two separate environments in 2019, one in northern Egypt and the other in southern Egypt.one in Egypt's south

The aim of this study was to assess these promising hybrids for grain yield, days to mid-silk, plant height, late wilt disease resistance, and two quality traits: popping volume andpercentage of unpopped kernels.The researchers used a randomised full block design of four replications. All technical maize production guidelines were followed.All studied traits showed highly significant differences between tested hybrids, with the exception of the number of wilted plants in trial A. Five hybrids from trial A and two hybrids from trial B were chosen. 11, 12, 17, 20, and 28 hybrids from trial A, and 15, 33 hybrids from trial B.Since most selected hybrids were of Serbian origin, the results showed that germplasm of Serbian origin was more valuable to the national popcorn breeding programme than germplasm from other sources.Untilsubmitting selected hybrids to the Variety Registration Committee, they must be evaluated in various locations.

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