Adaptability Evaluation of Eight Raw-eaten Milk Corn Varieties (Combinations) in Yunnan and Sichuan

The adaptability, yield, and quality performance of eight raw-eaten milk corn varieties (combinations) under the planting conditions in Sichuan (normal season) and Yunnan (off-season) were analyzed, aiming to provide references for the local selection of adaptive varieties. The main agronomic traits, economic traits and quality traits of the tested varieties (combinations) were investigated in Sichuan and Yunnan for two consecutive years from 2021 to 2022. The results showed that there were significant differences in the traits such as the growth period, plant height and ear position height among the varieties (combinations), years and locations. The off-season growth period in Yunnan was longer than that in normal season in Sichuan, and the plant height and ear position height in Yunnan were significantly higher than those in Sichuan. The average yield of the tested varieties (combinations) in Yunnan was higher than that in Sichuan. The yield of Xinxuan combination 3 and Xuetian 232 was relatively stable between the two points. Except for Xuetian 232, the single ear yield of the other varieties was less than 250 g. The average commodity rate of varieties (combinations) in Yunnan and Sichuan was relatively stable, and the Xinxuan combination 1 had relatively good performance in the two seasons of Sichuan and Yunnan, with the commodity rate of more than 80%. There were significant differences in the residue rate among different varieties (combinations), but there was no significant difference in the same variety (combination) among different years and locations. The varieties with lower residue rate were Xuetian 7401 and Xuetian 118. There were significant differences in the contents of total sugar and reducing sugar among most of the tested varieties (combinations), and there were also significant differences in the contents of total sugar and reducing sugar among the same varieties (combinations) in different places and years. The total sugar content and reducing sugar content of the most varieties (combinations) in Yunnan were significantly higher than those in Sichuan, among which the varieties (combinations) with higher content of total sugar and being more stable were Xinxuan combination 3 and Baimeitian, while the varieties (combinations) with higher content of reducing sugar were Xinxuan combination 3 and Xuetian 232. In summary, based on the comparative analysis of the main agronomic, economic and quality traits of the tested varieties (combinations), it was considered that Xuetian 7401, Xuetian 232 and the new selected combination 3 were suitable for being planted in Sichuan and Yunnan.