Vol. 9, Issue 1, Part J (2025)

The study evaluated 166 BC1F3 maize lines derived from a biparental cross between maize inbred LM13 and Zea nicaraguensis to assess their potential for maize fodder improvement. The advanced backcross lines were grown under optimum field conditions, and six key traits i.e., plant height, tassel length, leaf length, leaf breadth, number of leaves per plant, and number of ears per plant were analyzed. Descriptive statistics revealed significant variability, with promising genotypes showing enhanced traits critical for fodder and biomass yield. Plant height exhibited substantial variation (100–270 cm), correlating positively with tassel length and the number of leaves, thus influencing vegetative biomass. Leaf traits such as length and breadth demonstrated strong positive correlations, emphasizing their combined importance in photosynthetic efficiency and fodder production. The introgression from Zea nicaraguensis contributed to genetic and phenotypic diversity, offering opportunities for targeted breeding strategies. Correlation analysis highlighted interconnected traits for optimizing yield while identifying independently regulated traits for selective improvement. Superior genotypes, including MN15, MN135, and MN136, were identified for their potential to enhance multiple traits simultaneously, paving the way for developing high-performing fodder maize varieties. These findings provide valuable insights into leveraging wild germplasm introgression to improve maize productivity.