Data from: Evaluation of combining ability in expired plant variety protection maize lines for southern U.S. adaptation and aflatoxin resistance

Development of adapted hybrids with genetic resistance to aflatoxin accumulation is one strategy to mitigate this problem. Crossing inbred lines with recently expired Plant Variety Protection (ex-PVP) provides a new, relatively untested, source of germplasm with improved agronomic traits to utilize in breeding aflatoxin resistant hybrids.

This study assessed the combining abilities of 32 ex-PVP lines and six aflatoxin-resistant USDA-ARS lines in four environments for yield, agronomic traits, and aflatoxin. USDA-ARS lines Mp313E, Mp715, and Mp717 had positive general combining ability (GCA) for anthesis, silking, and plant height, resulting in later-maturing, taller hybrids, though many had low aflatoxin. Mp717 consistently demonstrated negative GCA for aflatoxin level.