Determination of the Best Performing Sri Lankan Maize Landraces Based on the Kernel Nutritional Composition

Abstract

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most widely cultivated cereal crops in the world as well as in Sri Lanka. Data on the nutritional composition of maize is beneficial for the food and feed industry, but there is a lack of information regarding this avenue in Sri Lanka. Therefore, this study aimed to investigate the suitable landraces with higher nutritional composition among the different landraces by evaluating nutritional parameters using the rank summation index. The maize kernels derived from 42 local landraces were used and the responses were with varieties Bhadra (Control) and Pacific. The proximate composition was analyzed using Near-infrared spectroscopy (NIR) and carbohydrate content and energy were determined using the calculation method. Subsequently, the data were analyzed by performing ANOVA and the rank summation index (RSI) to identify the best performer among the landraces. The results revealed that there were significant differences (p<0.05) among the nutritional components for moisture, ash, fiber, fat, protein, carbohydrates, and energy among the tested landraces. Accordingly, the maize landraces SEU 22, SEU 31, and SEU 2 were identified as the superior germplasms regarding nutritional composition compared with Bhadra, as they exhibited the lowest RSI of 85, 88, and 89, respectively. Therefore, these maize landraces were recommended for future breeding programs for the development of nutritionally enriched maize grains and for sustainable production where land limitation is a challenge.