LEAFY REDUCED-STATURE MAIZE FOR SHORT-SEASON ENVIRONMENTS - YIELD ANDYIELD COMPONENTS OF INBRED LINES

Development of maize (Zea mays L.) types that produce leaf area and ma ture quickly would increase production of maize in mid-to short-season areas. The leafy (Lfy1) and reduced-stature (rd1) traits both make co ntributions to this end. However, these two traits have not previously been combined. Our objective was to evaluate the yield and yield comp onents of non-leafy normal-stature (NLNS), leafy reduced-stature (LRS) , non-leafy reduced-stature (NLRS), and leafy normal-stature (LNS) mai ze inbred lines. The two genes, 'Lfy1' and 'rd1', were incorporated in to a series of inbred lines resulting in a range of canopy architectur es. Ten variables were recorded for each of 30 inbred lines over three years. The 10 variables were: corn heat unit requirement from plantin g to tasselling, corn heat unit requirement from planting to silking, days between tasselling and silking, grain moisture content, husk dry weight, cob dry weight, ear length, maximum ear circumference, grain y ield and ratio of grain yield to moisture content. Reduced-stature inb red lines reached anthesis more quickly than normal-stature inbred lin es. Grain moisture content was less in reduced-stature inbred lines th an normal stature trait groups. Leafy-reduced stature plants had the h ighest ratio of grain to moisture content and the lowest grain moistur e content at harvest. Inbred lines containing the rd1 trait matured mo re rapidly than other trait groups. The LRS trait group yielded more t han the other groups, and showed great potential for use in mid-to sho rt-season environments.