Validating superior maize hybrids in all India coordinated trials using REMATTOOL-R: a decision support approach.

Abstract

Introduction The identification and advancement of superior maize hybrids under the All India Coordinated Research Project (AICRP) on Maize rely on multi-environment evaluation integrating grain yield, maturity, and agronomic performance. Interpretation of large multi-environment datasets is often complex, time-consuming, and susceptible to subjectivity, highlighting the need for objective and reproducible decision-support tools. This study evaluated the effectiveness of REMATTOOL-R (Relative Maturity Adjustment Tool in R) in validating the existing hybrid advancement framework adopted under the AICRP on Maize. Methods Multi-environment trial data from the National Initial Varietal Trial (NIVT)-Late conducted during Kharif 2020-21 across five locations representing the Central West Zone (CWZ) of India were analysed. The dataset comprised 45 entries, including 40 experimental hybrids, four commercial checks, and one filler entry. REMATTOOL-R integrated grain yield with days to 50% anthesis, grain moisture at harvest, and harvested plant stand to facilitate simultaneous evaluation of grain yield, maturity, and adaptation-related traits. Least-square means generated from mixed-model analysis were used to identify superior hybrids based on a predefined grain yield superiority threshold (≥5%) over the standard check while maintaining comparable maturity and agronomic performance. Results REMATTOOL-R enabled rapid visualization and integrated assessment of multiple agronomic traits, allowing objective identification of superior hybrids. Five experimental hybrids-PM 21109L (Entry 30), R8050 (Entry 35), PM 21111L (Entry 32), BIO 978 (Entry 4), and DKC 9226 (Entry 9)-recorded ≥5% higher grain yield than the standard check Bio 9682 while maintaining statistically comparable days to 50% anthesis, grain moisture at harvest, and harvested plant stand. All five hybrids identified by REMATTOOL-R corresponded with the official AICRP decisions for advancement from NIVT to Advanced Varietal Trial-I (AVT-I), while three hybrids (R8050, PM 21111L, and DKC 9226) progressed further to AVT-II during subsequent testing cycles, confirming the reliability of the analytical framework. Discussion The findings demonstrate that REMATTOOL-R provides an efficient, transparent, and reproducible framework for the simultaneous evaluation of grain yield, maturity, and adaptation-related traits in maize multi-environment trials. By complementing the existing AICRP hybrid evaluation procedure, the tool facilitates objective advancement decisions and reduces subjectivity associated with manual interpretation of complex datasets. REMATTOOL-R therefore represents a valuable decision-support approach for coordinated maize breeding programmes and has considerable potential for application in large-scale hybrid evaluation systems.

Plant phenotyping relevance

REMATTOOL-Rという解析ツールを開発・評価し、収量、成熟期、収穫時水分、植立本数を統合してハイブリッドの表現型・適応性を客観的に評価することが中心である。

Code and data availability

The supplied blocks describe REMATTOOL-R analysis of AICRP NIVT-Late Kharif 2020-21 maize trial data, but contain no public deposit of the trial dataset, no authors' code repository or download URL for REMATTOOL-R, and no supplementary content confirming data or code availability. The only related link is the generic R

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