Difference Comparison of Agronomic Traits of Two Breeding Strains of Maca

Objective This study aims to compare differences in agronomic traits of two varieties of red and yellow maca and select strains with good agronomic traits and high quality for grain harvest in the hope of providing a theoretical basis for the varieties breeding of maca in our region.MethodUsing randomized block contrast experiment.ResultEach growth period of red maca was 5 to 7 days ahead of the yellow maca.Red maca was better than brown one in such five test items as basal leaf number,leaf length,plant height,main stem height and the number of sprouts.Crown diameter of red maca was about 1 cm smaller than that of yellow maca,but grain number per plant of red maca was more than that of yellow maca and kernel weight per plant and 1000-grain weight were fewer than those of yellow maca.ConclusionThrough the comparison of maca aerial parts,red Maca agronomic character is superior to the yellow maca.Yellow maca has short growth period and big full bright color grains.In the aspect of maca seed characters,1000-grain weight of yellow maca is heavier than that of red maca;There is no significant difference in seed number and grain weight per plant.