Improvement and significance of resistance to low-temperature damage in maize (Zea maysL.). I. Chlorosis resistance

✍ Scribed by O. Dolstra; M. A. Jongmans; K. de Jong

• Publisher: Springer
• Year: 1988
• Tongue: English
• Weight: 502 KB
• Volume: 39
• Category: Article
• ISSN: 0014-2336
• DOI: 10.1007/bf00043374

✦ Synopsis

Leaf chlorosis is one of the most obvious symptoms of low-temperature damage in maize . Divergent mass selection for chlorosis resistance was performed during two cycles of selection in two synthetic cold-tolerant populations . Both populations responded to selection, and after one cycle of selection the chlorosis resistant and susceptible selections already differed significantly . The two sets of corresponding C 2 populations obtained were used for a growth analysis at 13/8, 15/10, 20/15'C (day/night) during the early phase of vegetative growth . All plants were chlorotic at 13/8'C, and only some at 15/10'C . Resistance to chlorosis increased the survival rate and the growth rate of the surviving plants at 15/10° C . Resistance, however, appeared to reduce the accumulation of shoot dryweight at 20/15'C . The correlated changes in morphology of the shoots due to selection for chlorosis resistance, such as thicker leaves, may in part have caused this undesirable effect . Despite the disadvantage, improvement of resistance is considered to have a positive effect on dry-matter yield and yield stability in areas with cool weather during vegetative growth .