Performance of Peddapuram Station Maize Pre Release Hybrids to different diseases in all India testing during Kharif 2022

Diseases caused by pathogens are one among the major causes of yield loss in maize. These diseases not only affect its yield but can greatly impair the quality and year-wise stability of production, undermining the efforts to promote sustainable agriculture. Moreover, environmental and health hazards, resulting from the non-judicious application of numerous chemical fungicides are another cause of concern. Though maize is affected by more than 60 diseases, in India about a dozen are of serious concern. The four major diseases viz; turcicum leaf blight (TLB), maydis leaf blight (MLB), post-flowering stalk rots (PFSR), and banded leaf and sheath blight (BLSB) are of national importance. Host plant resistance (HPR) is considered to be most practical, feasible and effective way to control plant diseases. Though diseases can be managed through chemicals, these are neither farmer- nor environment-friendly. These are serious threat to soil and human health too. Further use of chemicals makes maize cultivation costly, reducing profit margin. Therefore, exploitation of HPR helps in minimizing inoculum in soil and yield loss in an eco-friendly and economic manner. One of the best approaches to address different diseases is to identify highly tolerant or resistant genotypes that can be used for genetic improvement. In present investigation three hybrids PH 22-420146, PH 22-420186 and PH 22-420208 were screened against major diseases of maize in different locations in India, among these PH 22-420208 showed resistance to Fusarium stalk rot, Curvularia leaf spot, sorghum downy mildew, Rajasthan downy mildew diseases and moderately resistance to maydis leaf blight, Charcoal rot and banded leaf and sheath blight diseases.