Effect of Increasing Morphological Component Expression on Yield in Corn
1976
A backcross-conversion program was utilized to increase expression of number of ears/plant, ear length, and kernel depth in five corn (Zea mays L.) inbreds. Four versions (normal, deep-kerneled, long-eared, and multiple-eared) of the inbreds were evaluated as lines per se and in single-crosses in separate experiments at Waseca and Lamberton, Minnesota in 1973. Yield component expression was greater in the converted lines than in their normal counterparts, but direct responses to conversion varied significantly for different inbred backgrounds. Correlated responses for the two unselected morphological components and three agronomic traits occurred in the lines themselves. Single-crosses involving converted lines were higher yielding than singlecrosses of normal lines. However, this yield advantage occurred primarily in the lower yielding single-cross backgrounds (low yielding normal ✕ normal crosses). Single-crosses involving multiple-ear and deepkernel lines had the highest and lowest yields, respectively, relative to the normal ✕ normal control.
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