A very interesting phenomenon has been observed in some of the progenies derived from maize and teosinte crosses (teo-maize). Plantlets were observed to have emerged from the spikelets in place of normal anthesis (Figures A and B). Such a bunchy appearance is confounded with the crazy top disease of maize. These plantlets grow, produce roots and mature on the mother plant itself. Both male and female meiosis is normal (Figure C) and seeds are obtained on the diminutive ears. Each plantlet attains a height ranging from 40-60 cm on the mother plant itself. However, when such plantlets are removed from the tassel and transplanted to the field they grow into an almost normal plant (Figure D) and produce fertile progeny. Further studies on such plantlets emerging from spikelets of the teo-maize tassel will be helpful in maintaining specific genotypes.
H. K. Singh
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