Tillering depends on temperature
--Heebong Lee, Wonkoo Lee, Heechung Ji, Manki Baek and Bongho Choe

In order to determine the effects of temperature during seed germination period on tillering formation, inbreds which have been developed for hybrids with tillers were grown in temperature controlled growth cabinets. Constant temperatures of 15, 20, 25 and 30 C were applied from germination to 30 days after germination. The number of tillers per plant was observed weekly during seedling growth. It was found that the initiation of tiller formation was greatly accelerated at the temperature of 20 C. Temperature above 25 C apparently was not effective in inducing tiller formation. Effects of other factors such as fertilizers or soil water content on the tillering should be studied. The effects of temperature on maize tiller formation were also indirectly estimated when maize hybrids or inbreds which had two to three tillers without failure in Korea, where temperature is below 25 C during germination-seedling growth, were planted in the Philippines, where daily temperature is above 25 C, and did not show the usual number of tillers. 

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