| Summary: | Background: Using a desirable tester is considered one method used to maximise genetic differences among test crosses derived from new inbred lines and improves the overall performance of maize. Thus, this study aimed to evaluate the potency of the tester with varying levels of resistance to *Striga hermonthica* in determining the testcross performance of the hybrids for *Striga* resistance and yield-related traits.
Method: The experiment was conducted with these test crosses and two standard checks (susceptible and tolerant) for different *Striga* resistance and agronomic traits during the 2018 cropping season in Abuja and Mokwa, Nigeria. The experiment was laid out in a 23 × 4 alpha-lattice design with two replications in each location. Field evaluation data was collected from *Striga* resistance and yield-related traits to estimate the performance of test crosses. Analysis of variance was conducted to determine the variance of the testcross performance.
Results: There were significant differences among test crosses for days to silking, days to pollen shedding, ear at harvest, ear aspect, ear per plant, grain yield, *Striga* damage rating at 8 and 10 weeks after planting (WAP), and *Striga* count at 8 and 10 WAP. Variations among test crosses were always higher than the corresponding variations due to the interaction between test crosses and the environment for all traits.
Conclusion: The inbred lines with low yield reduction crossed with different testers under *Striga* infested were recorded. These inbreds should be used to develop high-yielding hybrids and synthetics with elevated levels of *Striga* resistance to improve the maize breeding program.
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