This investigation has been done to obtain information on the genetic behavior of grain yield components in teosinte × maize hybrid, in order to identify the desirable breeding program for the improvement of these traits. Four inbred lines of teosinte, L1, L2, L3 and L4 were crossed to three genotypes of maize, two inbred lines, Sd34 and Sd63, addition to a commercial (Sc, 30K8), at Serw Agricultural Research Station in 2007 growing season. The twelve crosses and their parents were evaluated during 2008 and 2009 seasons at Serw Agricultural Research Station. Results showed that significant differences among crosses for all studied traits. However, lines were significantly differed for 100-grains weight and grain yield per plot. While testers were varied significantly for green fodder yield per plot and grain yield per plot. On the other hand, the interaction between crosses × years interaction were highly significant for all studied traits except number of tillers per plant. In addition L × T × years interactions was significant for all studied traits except crude protein. The parent of inbred line -1 had highest positive and significant GCA effect for TND, 100-grain weight and grain yield per plot and exhibited desirable GCA effect for number of tassling date (toward earliness), line-3 had positive and significant GCA effect for green fodder yield per plot and 100-grain weight. Thus, these inbred lines (L1 and L3) could be recommended for advanced stage of evaluation through the breeding program. 30k8 (T1) tester was good general combiner for 100-grain weight, crude protein and grain yield per plot while (T2 and T3) was good general combiner for green fodder yield per plot, and TDN. The highest SCA effects were observed in the top crosses L1 × T3 for TDN, number of tillers per plant, tassling date (toward earliness), crude protein and grain yield per plot. Estimation of general combining ability variance components (σ²GCA) was larger than the corresponding value of specific combining ability variance components (σ²SCA) for green fodder yield per plot, 100-grain weight and grain yield per plot indicating that additive was found to be more important than non-additive gene action for these traits. While, the σ²SCA was larger than σ²GCA for TDN, number of tillers per plant, plant height, tassling date and crude protein percentage, indicating that the non-additive genetic variance played the major role in the inheritance of these traits. Generally, all topcrosses were superior to their parents of teosinte for green fodder yield per plot, tassling date (toward earliness), grain yield per plot, 100-grain weight, except (L2 × T2) and (L2 × T3), and crude protein except (L2 × T3). These top crosses for crude protein were L2 × T1, L3 ×T1 and L4 × T1. However, in the case of grain yield per plot these topcrosses were L1 × T3, L1 × T2, L4 × T1, L1 × T2, L2 × T1 and L3 × T1. Therefore, these top crosses can be used for improvement in green fodder yield and grain yield which can be used in silage in dough stage.

Although the need for increased production of summer fodder is so keenly felt in Egypt, the plant breeders did not focused much of their attention to improv fodder teosinte as silage exchange for maize. In this study, an attempt was made in order to partition the genetic variance to its components for fodder traits through the evaluation of different generations (P1, P2, F1, F2, BC1, BC2) of the promising maize-teosinte crosses under two locations (El-Serw and Sids). The results indicated the presence of significant differences among crosses for all studied traits. Also, the results revealed the presence of significance of populations within crosses and each cross. The cross SC10 × Rayana ( R) was the highest among studied crosses for number of leaves (NL/P) (69.79), number of tillers (NT/P) (6.25), 5 th leaf area (5 th LA) (643.56 cm 2 ) green fodder yield per plant (GFY/p) (3740.0 g) and dry fodder yield per plant (DFY/p) (1191.13 g). While the cross SC 122 × R was the highest for crude protein (CP) (16.52 %), digestible protein (DP) (11.78 %) and total digestible nutrients (TDN) (67.25 %). The F 2 generation of the three crosses in the two locations and their combined were less than corresponding values of F 1 hybrids for all studied traits. This finding reflected the presence of non-additive genetic variance plays the major role in the inheritance of these traits. The results also revealed that, the backcross mean of most of studied crosses tended toward the respective recurrent parent, suggesting the role of additive and dominance gene action effects. Most of studied traits were significantly influenced by one or more type of epistatic effects, which included additive x additive ( aa ), additive x dominance ( ad) and dominance x dominance (dd ) gene action as appeared in the three studied crosses. In general, green fodder yield per plant (GFY/p) was positively with all other traits. Therefore, it wauld be concluded that the production of maize-teosinte hybrids is needed to be used as silage exchange for maize.

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Regarding the article "Oxidative stability of Opuntia ficus-indica seeds oil blending with Moringa oleifera seeds oil" one of the co-author was missing.

Although there are many forage crops valid in our country but the forage yield of maize (Zea mays L.) a fodder crop popular because of its earliness succulence and high yield. It could be increased if the tillering habit of teosinte (zea mexican) transferred to maize through hybridization breeding program. In this, investigation three lines of teosinte, which were derived from selection among segregating generations of three crosses. The three lines of teosinte were crossed by three genotypes of maize, inbred line 34 , inbred line 63, from National Maize Research Program and single cross 30k8 (commercial) to produce nine crosses at Serw Agricultural Research station in 2007 growing season. The nine crosses and their parents were evaluated during 2008 and 2009 seasons at Serw Agricultural Research. The studied traits were number of tillers per plant, number of leaves per plant, plant height, leaves weight to stems weight ratio, green fodder yield per plant, dry fodder yield per plant and digestible protein percentage. The data were subjected to biometrical analyses and the obtained results could be summarized in the following:Significant mean squares for crosses and tester (maize) for all studied traits were observed. Mean squares of line (teosinte) is not significant for all studied traits except for L/S ratio and green fodder yield in the first cut. In addition, mean squares of lines x testers interactions were significant and highly significant in most occasions for all studied traits except for number of tillers per plant and L/S ratio. Years, crosses by years, tester (maize) x years and L x T x Y interaction were significant in most occasions. There was no specific parents exhibited highest mean through the three cuts with respect to most of studied traits. However, line-3 of teosinte , was the best parent for number of tillers per plant , L/S ratio, numbers of leaves per plant , green fodder yield and dry fodder yield per plant through the three cuts. On the other hand, the cross L1xT1 followed by L3xT1 were the best combinations for green fodder yield per plant as a total of three cuts. In general, the over all means of crosses exceeded their parents except for number of tillers per plant and number of leaves per plant. The parental inbred lines that exhibited desirable general combining ability (GCA) effects were L1 for number of leaves per plant, L/S ratio and dry fodder yield per plant. In addition, L-2 for dry fodder yield per plant and digestible protein and L-3 for dry fodder yield per plant. Generally, these inbred lines could be recommended for advanced stage of evaluation by teosinte and teosinte x maize program. Line 34(tester-1) was good general combiner for green fodder yield per plant, dry fodder yield per plant and digestible protein percentage while line 63( tester-2) was a good general combiner for number of tillers per plant, number of leaves per plant, green fodder yield per plant, dry fodder yield per plant and digestible protein percentage. The highest SCA effects were observed in the cr...