Effects of Light Intensity on Ear Differentiation of Barren-Stalk Defective Maize

Abstract

Ear differentiation of different shade-resistance maize were studied under the shade stress using paired near isogenic, easy barren-stalk and not easy barren-stalk hybrids and inbred lines as test materials. The test verified the phenomenon of genetic defective barren stalk of maize preliminarily, revealed the relationship between barren stalk under the shade stress and ear differentiation and light intensity range inducing maize genetic defective barren stalk. Low light stress would make different varieties cause barren stalk and differences among varieties were obvious; easy barren stalk near-isogenic Shennong 98A was the most sensitive to low light stress and the stress intensity should be below 38% shade. Shade resistance of non-barren stalk near-isogenic Shennong 98B was close to normal inbred line Chang 7-2 and its intensity range of light stress were between 38%~60% shade; there were significant differences between hybrids of easy barren stalk D90, D80 and non-easy barren stalk Zheng Dan 958 under the 75% shade; shade stress could make young female ear short, grains per panicle reduce, the number of abortive grain increase and rates of barren stalk increase, which would aggravate with the increase of shade intensity and the reactions of easy barren stalk varieties were much more obvious, even caused 100% barren stalk led by female ear agenesis.