The importance of the anthesis-silking interval in breeding for drought tolerance in tropical maize

Selection for improved performance under drought based on grain yield alone has often been considered inefficient, but the use of secondary traits of adaptive value whose genetic variability increases under drought can increase selection efficiency. In the course of recurrent selection for drought tolerance in six tropical maize (Zea mays L.) populations, a total of 3509 inbred progenies (S1 to S3 level) were evaluated in 50 separate yield...