BEIJING, CHINA
Chinese Academy of Sciences su1 type mutant induced by space flight --Zeng, M, Zeng, Z, Ji, H In our previous papers, we described a significant influence of space flight of maize seeds on progeny. Some types of traits have been obtained (MNL 74:2-3, 75:4, Chinese Space Science and Techndogy 18(6):63-67, 1998}.In addition, there was a mutant of the su1 type from the Me141 inbred line of normal maize. The frequency of mutation was the smallest, about 0.06%. Some characters of plant, ear, leaf, tassel and kernel, etc., and some properties are given in Table 1 and Figure 1.

Table 1 and Figure 1 show the situation of the characters and properties of a mutant of the su1 type. First, it presents some characters of wild maize; for example, the length of the leaf-blade of the husk top, and the length of the ear handle is greater than that of normal maize. Second, plant height and ear length were 8.1% and 10.1%, respectively, higher (longer) than Control (CK), width of the leaf at the ear site was 11.4% wider than Ck; there were 31.0% more kernels per row than control, 93.5% greater tassel branch number and 50-100% more ears per plant. Third, there were 21.6% fewer numbers of kernel rows than control, and ear diameter was 23.2% smaller. Fourth, some characters and prooperties didn�t have significant changes; for example, ear height, length of the leaf at the ear site, tassel length, leaf number, vegetation period, kernel and ear color, some resistance to diseases, etc.

Table 1. Plant and ear traits for space flight induced maize mutant of the su1 type
 
Plant height (cm) 245
Ear height (cm) 101.3
Length of the leaf at the ear site (cm) 101.6
Width of the leaf at the ear site (cm) 9.8
Tassel length (cm) 59.9
Tassel branch number 32.5
Leaf number 21~22
Ear Length (cm) 17.4
Ear diameter (cm) 4.40
Number of kernel row 14.8
Kernel number of each row 38.0
Weight of 100 kernel (g) 21.1
Kernel type, color su1, white
Cob color , ear form white, spindle
Each ear weight 95.8
Kernel weight per ear 85.2
Day from seedling to kernel maturing  119~121
Length for leaf �blade of husk top (cm)  58-66
Husk number per ear 9~11
Length of ear handle(cm) 16~24
Ear number per plant 3
Resistance to E. turcicum & B. maydis HR
to P. inflatum , P. aphanidermatum,  HR
F.moniliforme & F. graminearum  
to S. holci-sorghi HR
to P. sorghi & P. polysora HR

Figure 1. Ear traits for space induced mutant of the su1 type (background soybean field)
 
 

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