CIMMYT is pleased to announce the release of a set of 16 new CIMMYT maize lines (CMLs). These CMLs were developed at various breeding locations of the CIMMYT Global Maize Program by multi-disciplinary teams of scientists in sub-Saharan Africa, Latin America and Asia. These lines are adapted to the tropical and subtropical maize production environments targeted by CIMMYT and partner institutions.
CMLs are available free of charge to both public and private sector breeders worldwide under the standard material transfer agreement.
CIMMYT seeks to develop improved maize inbred lines with superior performance and multiple stress tolerance to improve maize productivity for the resource-constrained smallholder farmers. To achieve this, CMLs are identified from inbred or doubled-haploid lines after intensive evaluation in hybrid combinations the respective geographies where they are developed, including various abiotic and biotic stresses, as well as suitability as either seed or pollen parent.
Release of a CML does not guarantee high combining ability nor high performance per se in all environments: rather, it indicates that the line is promising or useful as a hybrid component or parent for pedigree breeding for one or more target mega-environments. The descriptions of the lines include heterotic group classification, along with information on their specific combining ability with widely used CIMMYT lines.
Of note in the 16 new CMLs are a set of five doubled-haploid lines (CML566-CML570). These are the first DH-based CMLs to be released by CIMMYT.
A summary of the 16 new CMLs is presented in a tabular form below. Further details, including the pedigrees of these CMLs, are available at this link.
A limited quantity of seed of the CMLs can be obtained by sending a request to the CIMMYT Germplasm Bank. Contact Denise Costich.
Presently, CML 569 line is only available to partners in East African countries that can receive seed shipments from CIMMYT–Kenya. This is due to germplasm exchange restrictions imposed to restrict the potential movement of maize lethal necrosis (MLN) disease. Contact: Mosisa Regasa. However, CML569 will be broadly available through the CIMMYT Germplasm Bank from July 2016.
For more details, please contact: B.M. Prasanna, Director, CGIAR Research Program MAIZE & Global Maize Program, CIMMYT.
Summary of release
| CML | CIMMYT Code | Grain color | Maturity | Adaptation | Heterotic Group | Stress tolerance (in testcrosses)* |
Combines well with | Remarks |
| CML562 | CAL14126 | White | Early | tropical lowland; Asia | A | Drought and heat stress tolerant; resistant to TLB and common rust (PS) | CML444, CML449, CML451 | Suitable either as seed or pollen parent |
| CML563 | CAL14138 | Yellow | Medium-Full season | tropical lowland; Asia | A | Drought and waterlogging stress tolerant | CML433, CML451, CML565 | Responds well to high- density; very good per se yield and can be used as a seed parent |
| CML564 | CAL146 | Yellow | Early- Medium | tropical lowland; Asia | A | Drought and heat stress tolerant | CML433, CML474 | |
| CML565 | CAL1469 | Yellow | Medium-Full season | tropical lowland; Asia | A | Drought tolerant | CML451, CML563 | Very good per se performance with high inbred yield and a robust tassel; suitable either as a seed or pollen parent |
| CML566 | CKDHL0089 | White | Full season | Mid-altitude; sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) | B | Drought tolerant; resistant to MSV, GLS, and TLB; moderate tolerance to MLN | CML312, CML442 | Doubled haploid (DH) line with very good per se performance; can be used as either a seed or pollen parent; recovered from CML444 with improved plant stature |
| CML567 | CKDHL0214 | White | Medium | Mid-altitude; SSA | A | Drought tolerant; resistant to MSV, GLS, and TLB, but susceptible to MLN | CML395, CML444 | DH line with good per se performance; can be used either as a seed or pollen parent; recovered from CML539 |
| CML568 | CKDHL0228 | White | Medium | Mid-altitude; SSA | A | Resistant to MSV, GLS, and TLB, but susceptible to MLN | CML395, CML444 | DH line with long, slender ears and a prolific habit; good per se performance; can be used as either a seed or pollen parent; recovery of CML539 |
| CML569 | CKDHL0295 | White | Medium | Mid-altitude; SSA | B | Drought tolerant; resistant to MSV, GLS, and TLB, but susceptible to MLN | CML312, CML442, CML539 | DH line; recovery of CML395 with more compact plant type, excellent per se yield and very good stalk and root strength; good seed parent but can also be used as a pollen parent |
| CML570 | CKDHL0470 | White | Full season | Mid-altitude; SSA | B | Drought tolerant; resistant to MSV, GLS, and TLB, and has moderate tolerance to MLN | CML312, CML442, CML539 | DH line; recovery of CML444 with shorter stature and lower ear position; can be used as a seed or pollen parent |
| CML571 | CZL0718 | White | Early | Mid-altitude; SSA | B | Drought and low N tolerant; resistant to PS, TLB, GLS, and MSV, but susceptible to MLN | CML540, CML545, CML546 | Good per se yield and a robust tassel; can be used as either a seed or pollen parent |
| CML572 | CZL99017 | White | Early-Medium | Mid-altitude; SSA | A | Low N tolerant; resistant to PS, TLB, GLS, and MSV | CML444, CML547 | Very robust tassel; best suited as a pollen parent or as a component line to a single-cross seed parent |
| CML573 | CLRCW85 | White | Full season | tropical lowland; Latin America (LA) | A | Low N tolerant; resistant to ear rot; very good tolerance to TSC | CML494, CML576 | Excellent pollen producer; recommended for use as a pollen parent or as a component of a single-cross seed parent |
| CML574 | CLRCY039 | Yellow | Full season | tropical lowland; LA | B | Drought tolerant; tolerant to MLN and foliar diseases | CL02450 | Suitable as a pollen parent or as a component within a single-cross seed parent, but is not suitable for use as a seed parent per se |
| CML575 | CLRCY044 | Yellow | Medium | tropical lowland; LA | B | Tolerant to low N, SCLB, TLB and TSC; resistant to ear rot | CL02450 | Recovery of CML451 with improved per se yield; can be used as either a pollen parent or a seed parent |
| CML576 | CLWN247 | White | Medium | tropical lowland; LA | B | Drought and low N tolerant; excellent resistance to TSC; resistant to SCLB and TLB | CML549, CML552, CML573 | Good stalk and root strength; very good per se performance; performs well under high plant density; can be used as either a pollen or seed parent |
| CML577 | CLYN214 | Yellow | Medium | tropical lowland; LA | B | Drought, low N and heat stress tolerant; resistant to SCLB, TLB and ear rot; good tolerance to TSC | CLRCY015, CL02450, CLYN352 | Recovery of CML451; has a slender ear; suitable as a pollen parent |
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