Improving adaptation and yield dependability in maize in the developing world

The subject is reviewed under the following headings: (1) background of maize improvement and production in the tropics, (2) some recent concepts of effective maize breeding, (3) CIMMYT's multistage and integrated maize improvement programme, (4) development of broad-based gene pools as germplasm resources, (5) development of new sources of genetic variability, (6) improvement of maize populations and development of experimental varieties, (7) progress from recurrent selection in CIMMYT's maize populations, (8) gains in yield of varieties over the parent populations, (9) selection for environmental adaptability, (10) improvement in grain efficiency, (11) drought tolerance, (12) disease resistance, (13) insect resistance, (14) improvement of nutrition quality and (15) important considerations for increasing maize yields in the tropics