EXPRESSION OF RESISTANCE TO FUSARIAL EAR BLIGHT IN CORN INBREDS AND THEIR HYBRIDS

A method more reliable than those previously used to test the resistan ce of maize to fusarial head blight has been applied. The hybrids have a higher resistance than expected based on intermediate inheritance. Generally they are closer to the performance of the more resistant par ent. In most cases this was the mother parent. Susceptible or highly s usceptible inbreds seldom give relatively resistant hybrids. Resistant parents will give hy brids of good resistance with high probability. The forecasting of resistance of the hybrids based on parental data is partially possible.