Work

Electrolyte Leakage and Seed Quality in a Shrunken-2 Maize Selected for Improved Field Emergence

Year: 1988

Type: article

Abstract: Acceptance of shrunken-2 ( sh2 ) sweet corn ( Zea mays L.) hybrids is limited by poor seed quality and seedling emergence, especially in cold soils. The conductivity of the electrolytes leached from imbibing seeds, a rapid measurement of seed quality, is highly correlated with field emergence among sweet corn hybrids. Our objective was to determine if conductivity is related to field emergence in a sh2 population that had undergone selection for improved field emergence for 10 cycles. The response of conductivity to indirect selection was linear, and the linear trend accounted for a large portion of the variation in conductivity ( r 2 = 0.70). Conductivity ranged from 82.0 dS·m –1 in cycle 0 to 35.3 dS·m –1 in cycle 8, with cycle 10 not differing from cycle 8. High conductivity indicates greater electrolyte leakage. At P ≤ 0.01, conductivity was negatively correlated with all seed performance ratings; field emergence ( r = –0.82), plant height ( r = –0.81), uniformity ( r = –0.92), and relative emergence ( r = –0.85).

Source: HortScience

DOI: 10.21273/hortsci.23.2.391

Authors: W. F. Tracy, John A. Juvik

Institutions: University of Wisconsin–Madison, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign

Language: English

Topic: Seed Germination and Physiology

Subfield: Plant Science

Field: Agricultural and Biological Sciences

Domain: Life Sciences

SDG: Zero hunger

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,000