Proceedings of the Fifth Asian Regional Maize Workshop - Search ...

Maize varietal improvement continued in the early 70s using the composite breeding
approach. Population development and improvement were started through full-sib selection of DMR
composites. Inbred line extraction and hybrid development were resumed. Research and development
on hybrid seed were initiated by the private sector which resulted in the release of the
first hybrid maize variety in 1977, however, the hybrid was not commercialized.
In the 198Os, maize breeding programs became more comprehensive in nature. Population
development and improvement were greatly emphasized which subsequently became the source for the
extraction of inbred lines in the development of future maize hybrids and synthetics. Initial
attempts on varietal hybrid development were started by the breeders at the Inst. of Plant
Breeding (IPS) at Los Banos on account of the high heterotic values they were getting from their
maize population hybridization efforts. At the end of the decade, other public
institutions/agencies participated and became actively involved in maize improvement with
breeding objectives quite distinct from those at UPCA. As a result of such efforts, a number of
hybrids and OPV's were released and commercialized during this period.
Beginning in 1990, the growing awareness the remarkable performance of hybrid maize and
its significant potential impact on the total production had motivated leading breeding institutions
of the country to consider the development of hybrids as an important component of their
maize R&D programs. At IPB, for instance, undertaking hybrid maize research was considered
necessary as a back-up to the private sector efforts. At present, the program has a number of
good combining yellow and white lines which could be used as parents of commercial hybrids. To
date, the institute has released three hybrids for commercial production.
Similar efforts are also moVing forward at the Univ. of Southern Mindanao Agric. Res.
Center (USMARC) using heterotic lines from CIMMYT. Development of three-way cross hybrids and
synthetics is presently underway and the finished materials are expected to be in the National
Cooperative Test (NCT) for Corn in 1994 for dry season evaluation.
Finally, there are five public institutions which are actively engaged in maize varietal
improvement: the Inst. of Plant Breeding at Los Banos, Univ. of Mindanao (USM) , Central Mindanao
Univ. (CMU) , Dept. of Agric. - Cagayan Valley Integrated Agric. Res. Center (DA-CVIARC) and
Visayas State College of Agric. (VISCA). Only IPS, USM and DA-eVIARC conduct hybrid maize
research as a component of their respective maize R & D J utilizing germplasm from CIMMYT, IITA,
Univ. of Hawaii, commercial hybrids, and other local germplasm. At present, in the private
sector, several hybrid seed companies conduct maize research and development, including Pioneer
Overseas Co., Cargill Seeds, Inc., Asia Hybrids, leI-JARDINE Davis, Corn World, Ciba Geigy, and
DeKalb (Pfizer Genetics).
Historical events in the maize breeding activities in Philippines:
Appendix A.
Year
History of corn breeding in Philippines.
Events
1914-1940
1945-1951
1952-1954
1961
=
=
=
Early corn improvement years; activities were selections and evaluation of
local materials. Most accessions were lost during the war.
Post-war rehabilitation years; corn breeding was geared towards production
and testing of crosses among provincial strains by thesis students: progress
was low.
Cooperative improvement years by the Bureau of Plant Industry (BPI), Bureau
of Agric. Extension (BAExt), and the Univ. of the Philippines at Los Banos­
College of Agric. (UPLB-eA). Plans on cooperative work on production,
improvement, and distribution of hybrids were drawn up and formalized,
UPCA to produce inbreds for single crosses.
Yields of released hybrids were 30% higher than the native varieties but
not well accepted by farmers (not very high yields). There were problems in
seed production and distribution.
98