Inheritance of Resistance to Oriental Corn Borer (Ostrinia furnacalis) of Corn in Korea

A diallel analysis was used to evaluate 91 F₁ (14 inbred lines) of maize (Zea mays L.) for resistance to Oriental corn borer (Ostrinia furnacalis [Guenee]). Analysis of combining ability for borer damage ratings under the field conditions in Kunwi (South Korea) and Ryongcheon (North Korea) detected highly significant differences SCA×location interactions. However, locations and GCA effects were significant, while SCA effects and GCA×location interactions were not significant. Mean square for GCA effects were 13.4 times greater than that of SCA effects. This result concluded additive gene action is more important than non-additive gene action for borer resistance at two locations. In two locations, lines I-1, I-2, I-4, I-5 and I-8 indicated negative GCA effects. These lines showed stable resistance to borer.