Selection for low ear moisture in corn, using a hand-held meter

• Published in: Crop science Vol. 32
• Main Authors: Freppon J.T, St Martin S.K, Pratt R.C, Henderlong P.R
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: 01.07.1992
• Subjects: contenido de humedad; critere de selection; criterios de seleccion; grain; granos; hibridos; hybride; hybrids; inbred lines; instrument de mesure; instrumentos de medicion; lignee consanguine; lineas consanguineas; mais; maiz; maize; measuring instruments; moisture content; ohio; selection criteria; teneur en eau; zea mays
• ISSN: 0011-183X; 1435-0653
• DOI: 10.2135/cropsci1992.0011183X003200040046x

A rapid, effective method for identifying inbred lines of corn (Zea mays L.) that produce hybrids with a low grain-moisture content at harvest would be helpful to corn breeders. We evaluated use of a hand-held moisture meter to select for low ear-moisture content in 2 set of S1 plants that had similar pollination dates. A set of 30 lines, derived from plants classified as low-, medium-, and high-moisture 30 d after pollination, was identified. The Hoes were evaluated for moisture content in a randomized complete-block experiment. Test-crosses of the fines to two testers were evaluated for yield and harvest moisture at five locations in 1 yr. The moisture meter produced estimates of moisture content that correlated well in 2 yr (r2 = 0.85 and 0.82) with estimates obtained by the oven method. Lanes derived from ears selected for low moisture with the meter had lower moisture at harvest than lines from high-moisture ears. Hybrids of low-moisture lines were lower in harvest moisture than hybrids of high-moisture lines but were similar in grain yield. The moisture meter should enable corn breeders to select for low harvest moisture in segregating populations.