The main aim of our research was to describe and evaluate 69 maize populations, according IPGRI descriptors. The population material was collected in Slovenia, during 2009-2010, within the frame of the international SEEDNet project. In the study wich we harvested were included 68 domestic populations of maize from different regions of Slovenia and one population from Kosovo. The material was planted in a field experiment, on the selection field of the Biotechnical Faculty at Jable near Ljubljana, in 2013. During the growth period, we took 17 biometric and descriptive data of 20 plants of 67 populations. After harvest, we measured and assessed 18 characteristics of 20 maize ears and grains. In many of the studied traits, we found significant variations among and within populations, which is particularly important for the genetic breeding process. There were significant differences in plant height (averages were between 132.5 and 219.8 cm). Most of the populations were characterised by one or two ears per plant. In 10 populations we recorded up to three ears per plant. In general, two types of grains prevailed: the semi-flint and flint. In certain populations, however, semi-dents and dents dominated. High variations were found also in some of the ear traits, especially in ear length (11.2-22-6 cm) and ear diameter (2.77-4.98 cm), number of grain rows per ear (8.2-16.7) and number of grains per row (18.3-40.5). In certain populations, the colours of grain, i.e., colours of pericarp, aleurone and endosperm, were uneven. The results of the analysis of studied traits indicate the studied populations were mostly of domestic origin. They have not been much intercrossed with other groups and they will additionally enrich the Slovenian maize gene bank.
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