**Genetic Potential and Usefulness of Native Maize Populations in Developing Novel Germplasm for Current and Upcoming Goals Populations in Developing Novel Germplasm for Current and Upcoming Goals**

**Genetic Potential and Usefulness of Native Maize** 

DOI: 10.5772/intechopen.71360

Froylan Rincon-Sanchez and Norma A. Ruiz-Torres Froylan Rincon-Sanchez and Norma A. Ruiz-Torres Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

Additional information is available at the end of the chapter

http://dx.doi.org/10.5772/intechopen.71360

#### **Abstract**

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98 Rediscovery of Landraces as a Resource for the Future

Traditional agricultural system is referring to the maize production based on indigenous or farmers knowledge and practices that have been developed through many generations. In the area of study, genetic maize diversity was explored by the expression of quantitative traits of the ear and the race classification approach. Evaluation results indicated that the native populations adapted to the transition and highland (above 2000 masl) areas, showed a contrasting yield response when they were evaluated at the intermediate environment; whereas, those populations adapted to the lowland and intermediate altitudes showed a satisfactory yield performance in both environments. The above performance pattern is essential because it may be useful to identify favorable alleles that, in a local population *per se* or through genetic combination, results in population changes in allele frequencies that could mitigate the effects of climate changes, particularly in maize populations adapted to highland altitudes. Selection procedures applied to a local adapted population can be managed attending different goals, including the conservation of genetic diversity (*per se* selection), and to develop novel germplasm. The introgression of foreign germplasm into a local population and the application of three selection cycles resulted in a novel variety (JAGUAN) adapted to a regional northeast Mexico environmental conditions.

**Keywords:** *Zea mays* L., native maize populations, genetic diversity, genetic by environmental interaction, selection procedures
