EVALUATION OF MAIZE VARIETIES FOR HUSK QUALITY FOR HANDCRAFT USE

Handcrafts made with corn husks have become an extra income for rural communities. The need of those communities for maize cultivars with husks that are suitable for use in this craft has determined the objective of this paper, which aimed to evaluate maize cultivars available from the Maize Germplasm Bank and testimony from witnesses. The evaluations were carried out during two different harvest seasons: 2002/2003 in the cities of Diamantina and Cipotanea, and 2003/2004 in the cities of Diamantina and Paraopeba. The following characteristics were evaluated: plant height, yield and number of ears, and also length, color and texture of the husk. The varieties generated tall plants, which made them very susceptible to lodging. The variety MGIII presented ears with longer husks. Regarding coloration, the varieties BA093, MS003, SC012, SC015, and MGIII were distinguished by light-colored husks, the variety MG053 for high pigmentation of the husk. Besides the divergence between accessions, the husk color variability among individual plants was also present, especially for MG092, MG053 and BA100. The texture subjective analysis generated low-precision results. Because of its subjectivity, evaluations for this characteristic as associated with high coefficients of variation and high probabilities of F. Interactions between locations and treatments were not significant for plant height and length of the ear. High estimates for genotypical determination indicated potential of selection based on the phenotypical manifestation. High variances were estimated between plants in the population, suggesting the possibility of success with the intrapopulational selection.