Background Temperate maize inbred lines with expired Plant Variety Protection Act certificates (Ex-PVP) are potential sources of desirable alleles for tropical germplasm improvement. Up to now, the usefulness of the Ex-PVP inbred lines as a potential source of novel beneficial alleles for Striga hermonthica resistance breeding to enhance genetic gain in tropical maize has not been reported. Results This study was thus conducted to characterize the combining ability of 24 Ex-PVP inbred lines in crosses with two tropical Striga resistant inbred testers under Striga-infested and non-infested conditions and across three locations for 2 years. Many testcrosses between Ex-PVP inbred lines and the first tester (T1) produced competitive or significantly higher grain yields compared to the hybrid between the two resistant testers under Striga infested and non-infested conditions and across multiple test locations. Also, most of the testcrosses with positive heterosis for grain yield and negative heterosis for Striga damage and emerged Striga count involved T1 as a tester. Our study identified six Ex-PVP inbred lines with positive GCA effects for grain yield under Striga infested and non-infested conditions and across multiple test locations. Amongst these, inbred lines HB8229-1 and WIL900-1 also displayed negative GCA effects for emerged Striga count and Striga damage rating. The inbred line HB8229-1 showed positive SCA effects for grain yield with T2, whereas WIL900-1 had positive SCA effects for grain yield with T1. Over 70% of the Ex-PVP inbred lines were consistently assigned to specific heterotic groups using yield-based classifying methods (mean grain yield and SCA effects). Conclusions These results could facilitate systematic introgression of the Ex-PVP inbred lines into the existing Striga resistant heterotic groups in IITA. The Ex-PVP inbred lines with positive GCA effects and producing high grain yields in hybrid combinations could be useful parents for enhancing Striga resistance and agronomic performance of tropical maize hybrids.

Maize Improvement Program and the Bioscience Center at IITA in Ibadan, Nigeria; Nnanna Unachukwu

https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12870-022-03662-1

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Melaku Gedilhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-6258-6014

Wende Mengeshahttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-2239-7323

SILVESTRO MESEKAhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1004-2450

Paterne AGREhttps://orcid.org/0000-0003-1231-2530

Abebe Menkirhttps://orcid.org/0000-0002-5907-9177

https://dx.doi.org/10.1186/s12870-022-03662-1

Biotech and Plant Breeding

Aflatoxin; Agronomy; Crop Systems; Food Science; Food Security; Food Systems; Maize; Plant Breeding

Exotic germplasm; Inbred Lines; Tropical crops; Maize; Breeding; Combining ability; Striga hermonthica

Africa; West Africa

Nigeria

Headquarters and Western Africa Hub

BMC Plant Biology