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Effect of the Brown Midrib-3 Allele on Early Vigor and Growth Rate of Maize¹

The brown midrib-3 mutant (bm₃) improves the ruminant digestibility of maize (Zea mays L.) sotver, but homozygous bm₃ plants are usually less vigorous than normal plants. Because early season vigor can influence final grain and stover yield, our objective was to investigate the potential for genetically improving the early vigor of bm₃ genotypes relative to normal genotypes. A total of 130 bm₃ and 130 normal S₁ lines were developed from three populations segregating for the bm₃ allele and were evaluated in three field environments in Minnesota. Average seedling dry weight of the normal lines was 10% higher than the bm₃ lines, but a few bm₃ lines had seedling dry weights as high as the best normal lines. Predicted gains from selection among bm₃ lines were similar to normal lines of the same population. Dry matter accumulation rates of the normal lines during vegetative growth averaged 13% higher than the bm₃ lines, but a few bm₃ lines had rates as high as the best normal lines. Two bm₃ and two normal S₁ lines and their hybrids within bm₃ and normal genotypes were evaluated for dry matter accumulation rate over the entire growing season. The average linear accumulation rate of total dry matter was 15% higher in the normal genotypes. The lower rate of grain filling of the bm₃ genotypes was somewhat compensated for by a longer effective duration of grain filling. Our results suggest that bm₃ populations could be improved to acceptable levels of early vigor and growth rate.

Key Words: Effective grain filling period • Predicted genetic gain • Seedling dry weight • Zea mays L.

² Research scientist, Asgrow Seed Co., 634 Lincoln Way East, Ames, IA 50010 (formerly graduate research assistant, Dep. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Univ. of Minnesota) and professor, Dep. of Agronomy and Plant Genetics, Univ. of Minnesota, 1509 Gortner Ave., St. Paul, MN 55108.

Received for publication April 2, 1982.

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