The use of hybrid corn was the main factor in grain yield increase. In order to obtain hybrids, the identification of the best population for inbred lines extraction is needed. The m+a'estimation is an outstanding procedure for such a choice. It stands for the means of all inbred lines in the generation S". This work was carried out with the aim of estimating the contribution of both locus in heterozigosis (d) and locus in homozigosis (m+a') of morphophisiological characters in order to find out the potential of commercial hybrids. Both F1 and F2 generations of ten commercial ordinary hybrids were used. The experiments were carried out in Lavras, at Fazenda Experimental Vitorinha and in Ijaci in the agricultural year of 2005/06. The treatments were evaluated by using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Data were taken from five plants. The evaluated characteristics were as it follows: plant height, ear height, number of leaves over the ear, colm diameter, ear length, ear diameter, corncob length , ear weight, and grain yield. Higher m+a' estimates for grain yield were reached for both A2555 and AG7000 hybrids, thus showing the best potential for inbred lines extractions. The heterosis was found to account for 69,36% of the F1 generation production. The correlations between the F1 generation performance and m+a', and between F1 and d were not significant showing that the population selection of F1 generation means may not be taken as a ground for selecting populations.
Corn; m+a'and d; inbred lines extraction
