The improvement phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) allows to reach satisfactory yields with lower costs. A breeding strategy for PUE is to increase its components, the phosphorus acquisiton efficiency (PAE) and phosphorus utilization efficiency (PUtE). Thus, this study aimed to identify: i) the relative importance of the components of PUE, in high and low phosphorus; ii) the relationship of root system length and shoot dry mass (SDM) with PUE and its components and; iii) the genetic control of traits associated with the PUE. Forty-one hybrid combinations were evaluated in two experimental environments representing contrasting conditions of availability of phosphorus: low (LP) and high (HP). A randomized block design with two replications were used in simple factorial (hybrid combination x availability of phosphorus) arrangement. Independently of phosphorus availability, PAE was the most important component of the PUE and non-additive genetic effects were more important to the traits associated with the PUE. It was observed that the estimates of specific combining ability for SDM and PUE, in LP and HP, showed similar behavior and magnitude, indicating that the selection based on performance of hybrid combinations for SDM, allows to obtain genotypes with high PUE.
Zea mays; Genic effect; Abiotic stress; Mixed Models
