HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Beck, D. L. Articles by Zuber, M. S. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Beck, D. L. Articles by Zuber, M. S. Agricola Articles by Beck, D. L. Articles by Zuber, M. S.

Effect of Sink Level on Root and Stalk Quality in Maize

CIMMYT, Lisboa 27, Apartado Postal 6-641, 06600 Mexico, DF, Mexico
USDA-ARS, Crop Production Res. Unit, 110A Curtis
Univ. of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211

^* Corresponding author.

Grain yield and resistance to root and stalk lodging currently require major emphasis in maize (Zea mays L.) breeding programs. Selection for high expression for one of these characters is often at the expense of the others. Oar objective was to evaluate the effect of grain sink level on root and stalk strength. Fourteen entries were grown including the CO, C4, C8, and Cll of MoSQA, a white endosperm synthetic population selected for high stalk crushing strength; the CO, C4, C8, and Cll of MoSQB, a yellow endosperm synthetic population selected for high stalk crushing strength; two single crosses with high root strength; two single crosses with low root strength; B73 x Mo17, a high-yielding, widely grown single cross; and ‘US13’ a lower yielding double-cross hybrid with poor root and stalk strength. Grain sink levels were established by allowing open pollination (100% sink level), preventing pollination (0% sink level), and by physically removing the top half of the ear 10 after pollination (50% sink level). Root strength was measured vertical root pulling resistance and stalk strength was determined by crushing a 2.5-cm stalk section. Results from four environments indicated that vertical root pulling resistance declined linearly as sink level increased for all entries. Stalk crushing strength declined with increased sink level for all hybrids and for most of the cycles of MoSQA and MoSQB. Exceptions were Cycle 11 of both MoSQA and MoSQB for which stalk crushing strength was similar at all sink levels.

Key Words: Corn • Zea mays L. • Stalk crushing strength • Stalk soluble solids • Vertical root pulling resistance • Source-sink

Received for publication February 9, 1987.