Andromonoecious maize

--W. F. Tracy

Anthers were observed at the base of the kernels in an inbred of unknown tropical background. The anthers were fully formed and dry at the time of dry seed harvest. It is not known if they produced pollen. Unlike anther ear (an) the plants are normal in appearance with fully functional tassels.

Testcrosses indicate that the andromonoecious trait is recessive. Of over 100 F1 plants and 200 F1-backcross to outcross parent plants none had anthers in the ear. Andromonoecy did segregate in the F2 and in the backcross to the andromonoecious parent. The F2 data fit (240 normal:18 andromonoecious) a duplicate dominant (15:1) hypothesis (p>0.5). The backcross to the andromonoecious parent does not support this hypothesis (p<0.01). These generations will again be grown in 1989 in attempt to sort out the inheritance of this trait.


Please Note: Notes submitted to the Maize Genetics Cooperation Newsletter may be cited only with consent of the authors

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