Assessment of Algerian Maize Populations for Saccharification and Nutritive Value

Maize (Zea mays L.) from the Algerian Sahara was adapted to arid conditions and has been used for food and feed. The objective of this work was to assess the potential value of Saharan maize for saccharification and nutritive value under drought conditions. Eighteen maize populations from the Algerian Sahara were evaluated under drought and control conditions and representative samples of those populations were taken for nutrients and saccharification analyses. The evaluation of saccharification was made in one Spanish trial under drought and control conditions. Differences among Algerian populations for nutritive value were significant for starch and ash, but not for lipids and proteins. Drought-reduced saccharification yield and differences among populations were significant for saccharification potential under drought conditions, and for saccharification yield under both drought and control conditions. The Algerian populations PI527465 and PI542689 had high grain starch and low ash, PI527469 and PI527474 had a balanced nutritional value, and PI527475 and PI542683 had low grain starch and moderately high ash. Besides high nutritional value, the drought-tolerant population PI542683 had high saccharification under drought conditions. Most agronomic traits had no significant effects on saccharification, and some grain nutrients affected saccharification and agronomic performance. Therefore, improving the nutritive value of grain and saccharification of stover, while maintaining agronomic performance, could be feasible, attending to the weak interactions between them.