Development and Assessment of an Extra-early and Resistant Corn Variety for Sustainable Yield in Semi-arid Areas of Côte d'Ivoire
N’DA Hugues Annicet *
Ferkessédougou Research Station, Maize Millet Sorghum Program, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Korhogo Regional Office, 01 BP 1740 Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire.
N’CHO Achi Laurent
Ferkessédougou Research Station, Maize Millet Sorghum Program, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Korhogo Regional Office, 01 BP 1740 Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire.
KOUAKOU Kouakou Romaric
Ferkessédougou Research Station, Maize Millet Sorghum Program, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Korhogo Regional Office, 01 BP 1740 Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire.
KONATE Dofougo
Ferkessédougou Research Station, Maize Millet Sorghum Program, National Center for Agronomic Research (CNRA), Korhogo Regional Office, 01 BP 1740 Abidjan 01, Côte d'Ivoire and Félix Houphouët-boigny National Polytechnic Institute (INP-HB), Doctoral School in Agronomic Sciences and Transformation Processes, Plant Biology and Plant Health Research Unit, P.O BOX 1093 Yamoussoukro, Côte d'Ivoire.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
Corn (Zea mays L.) is an essential food crop in sub-Saharan Africa, facing major challenges such as drought and infestation by the parasitic plant Striga hermonthica. This article details the development process and agronomic characteristics of FMB (Ferké Maïs Blanc / Ferké White Corn), a new composite corn variety resulting from a rigorous genetic improvement program conducted in Côte d'Ivoire by the Corn-Millet-Sorghum (CMS) program. Initiated in 2013 in Ferkessédougou by crossing two parental accessions with complementary characteristics, the program led to four intensive cycles of recurrent selection per half-sib families, stabilizing the variety in 2017. 'FMB' is distinguished by its extra-early maturity cycle of 80-82 days, with perfect synchronization of male and female flowering at 48 days. Trials conducted at three key sites in Côte d'Ivoire (Ferkessédougou, Korhogo, Boundiali) revealed a yield potential of 4.0 tons per hectare under optimal conditions, coupled with notable resistance to Striga and excellent drought tolerance. Estimate of genetic parameters confirmed the effectiveness of the selection, and analysis of genetic progress over selection cycles demonstrated consistent improvement in the targeted traits. These attributes make ‘FMB’ a promising solution for strengthening food security and improving the resilience of agricultural systems in regions of Côte d'Ivoire that are vulnerable to water and pest stress.
Keywords: Corn, extra-early variety, striga, drought, recurrent selection