Esse trabalho teve por objetivo caracterizar o sistema produtivo da cultura do milho no sudoeste do Paraná, para subsidiar programas de Pesquisa & Desenvolvimento, além de transferência de tecnologias regionais. A pesquisa foi realizada durante os anos de 2007 e 2008, sendo baseada na aplicação de um questionário para 305 produtores de milho e residentes em alguns municípios da região sudoeste do Paraná. Os questionários possuíam questões referentes às características do manejo da cultura e sobre a propriedade rural. Verificou-se que muitos agricultores não realizam todas as práticas adequadas de manejo, necessárias para um desenvolvimento sustentável da cultura do milho. Os principais manejos que interferem na produção de milho são a deficiência hídrica e controle de plantas daninhas, pragas e doenças. Como aspectos positivos aparece a aquisição de sementes certificadas pela maioria dos agricultores; porém, o nível tecnológico não acompanha as exigências genéticas das bases genéticas dos híbridos mais escolhidos pelos agricultores. Contudo, os agricultores estão interessados na realização de cursos de capacitação e na integração com a Universidade e com os órgãos de extensão.

The objective of this work was to characterize the corn production system in Southwestern Paraná, to assist Research & Development programs, as well as regional technology transfer. The study was carried out in the years 2007 and 2008, based on questionnaire applications to 305 corn producers and residents in the Southwestern region of Paraná State. Questionnaires had questions on crop management and farm characteristics. It was found that many farmers do not carry out all the appropriate management practices needed for a sustainable development of the corn crop.. The main management practices affecting corn production are water deficit and control of weed, pests and diseases. On the positive side, most farmers buy certified seeds, but the technological level does not meet the requirements of the genetic basis of the selected hybrids. However, the farmers are interested in taking training courses and in participating in programs with the University and research and extension agencies.

The study of inbreeding depression is important for breeding strategies such as use of inbred progenies or extraction of inbreed lines. A diallel of 28 maize open-pollinated varieties was evaluated in 10 environments in the early 1990s. At the same time, S1 populations for each of the 28 varieties were evaluated in the same 10 experiments (environments). Yield reductions of the populations from S0 to S1 (mean of the 10 environments), varied from 34.6% (CMS-01) to 59.2% (CMS-30), with an average of 49.1%. Inbreeding depression was greater in populations with a wider genetic base, which had never been exposed to inbreeding (CMS-30, BR-107, PH4, Cunha, Saracura, Nitrodent, and Nitroflint). Inbred lines with greater yield means should be obtained from the BR-105, BR-111, CMS-01, CMS-03, BR-106, CMS-14c, and CMS-28 populations. The use of parameter estimates generated by analysis of inbreeding depression, allow to make inferences about frequencies of deleterious alleles in the population. The frequencies of favorable alleles in the parents can be obtained by diallel analysis. The association of these two types of information, can provide a better interpretation of the genetic parameters and also can improve the process of selection of parents for either an intra- or an inter-populational breeding program.