As reported earlier (Nelson and Chang, 1974, Crop Sci. 14:374) the population "Coroico" with multilayer aleurone could be used as a genetic source in breeding for high content of essential amino acids. After crossing of this source with three opaque-2 inbreds the variability of the aleurone thickness in opaque-2 kernels with multilayer aleurone and with single aleurone was studied (Fig. 1).

Opaque-2 kernels with single aleurone had variability in the range 50-100 u, with the highest frequency (28.4%) in the class 60-70 u. The variability curve in opaque-2 kernels with multilayer aleurone showed a similar course, with the highest frequency (28.87%) in the class 80-90 u. The range of the curve varied from 50 to 120 u. Moreover, within the range of single aleurone variability are found 36% of kernels with multilayer aleurone, and the range of the multilayer aleurone variability contains 45% of single aleurone kernels.

Although there is a distinct difference in the number of aleurone layers between single and multilayer aleurone types, these facts indicate that differences between these two aleurone types in the thickness of aleurone are not so evident. No differences in lysine content were found either between the aleurone types or between the class range alone on a whole kernel basis.

Figure 1.

M. Nesticky and A. Piovarci

Return to the MNL 56 On-Line Index
Return to the Maize Newsletter Index
Return to the MaizeGDB Homepage