Plant population density effects on maize inbred lines grown in short-season environments

• Published in: Crop science Vol. 38; no. 1; pp. 104 - 108
• Main Authors: Modarres, A.M, Hamilton, R.I, Dijak, M, Dwyer, L.M, Stewart, D.W, Mather, D.E, Smith, D.L
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Madison, WI Crop Science Society of America 01.01.1998; American Society of Agronomy
• Subjects: Agricultural production; Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; CALOR; CANTIDAD DE SEMILLA REQUERIDA; CHALEUR; Corn; CROP DENSITY; CROP YIELD; DENSITE DE SEMIS; Density; DWARFS; ENANO; Environment; ESPACEMENT; ESPACIAMIENTO; FEUILLE; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; GENOTIPOS; GENOTYPE; GENOTYPES; GRAINE; GROWING SEASON; GROWTH PERIOD; HEAT; HEAT SUMS; HINCHAMIENTO DE LA SEMILLA; HOJAS; INBRED LINES; LEAF AREA; LEAVES; LIGNEE CONSANGUINE; LINEAS CONSANGUINEAS; NAIN; PERIODE DE CROISSANCE; PERIODE VEGETATIVE; PERIODO DE CRECIMIENTO; PERIODO VEGETATIVO; Population; QUEBEC; REMPLISSAGE DU GRAIN; RENDEMENT DES CULTURES; RENDIMIENTO DE CULTIVOS; REQUIREMENTS; Seasons; SEED FILLING; SEEDS; SEMILLA; SOWING RATES; SPACING; SUPERFICIE FOLIAR; SURFACE FOLIAIRE; VARIEDADES; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; VARIETE; VARIETIES; VEGETATIVE PERIOD; Yield, quality, earliness, varia; ZEA MAYS; Canada; North America; America; Quebec; Monocotyledones; Zea mays; Size; Growing season; Plant leaf; Varietal selection; Line (plant); Growth habit; Cereal crop; Field experiment; Gramineae; Morphology; short season; Genetic improvement; Angiospermae; Selection criterion; Spermatophyta; Density dependence; Inbred; Population density; Canopy(vegetation)
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1998.0011183X003800010018x

Development of maize (Zea mays L.) types that produce leaf area quickly and tolerate high plant densities could enhance yields in mid- to short-season environments. The leafy and reduced-stature traits each make contributions to this end, but have not previously been combined. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of plant densities on leafy normal-stature (LNS), non-leafy normal-stature (NLNS), leafy reduced-stature (LRS), and non-leafy reduced-stature (NLRS) inbreds. Twenty-one inbreds were field-grown over 2 yr at low (65 000 plant ha-1) and high (90 000 plant ha-1) densities. Above-ear leaf number, above-ear leaf area, and single plant grain yield were lower for LNS and NLNS at the high, as compared with the low, plant density, but were not affected for LRS or NLRS. The corn heat unit (CHU) requirements from planting to tasseling, and from planting to silking, as well as days between tasseling and silking, were greater under high plant density for LNS and NLNS, but were not affected for LRS or NLRS. Grain yield increased to a greater extent under high density compared with low density for LRS and NLRS than for LNS or NLNS. The LRS inbreds had a shorter vegetative period, longer grain-filling period, highest yields, and were more tolerant of high plant density than the normal-stature genotypes. These characteristics indicate potential both for increased yields and production increases with lower CHU availability. These advantages are expected to be conferred to LRS hybrids