Abstract
Planting sweet corn at higher densities may increase the canopy cover, reducing light transmission to the understory and suppressing weed growth. High planting densities can also negatively impact the crop, however, by decreasing ear size and overall yield. The objective of this study was to determine the potential for increased density tolerance of 15 sweet corn hybrids by estimating the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for traits of interest. In 2010 and 2011, a half-diallel of six historic sweet corn inbreds was evaluated in a split-block randomized complete block design in four Wisconsin environments, with four replicates in each environment. Hybrids were planted at a low density of 29,936 plants ha−1, a medium density of 63,615 plants ha−1, and a high density of 97,293 plants ha−1. Significant differences between hybrids were found for phenomorphological traits and ear characteristics. Inbreds C68, C40 and Ia5125 produced the progeny most tolerant of the highest population density. Among these genotypes, tolerance to high density is a heritable trait, indicating the feasibility of breeding sweet corn for density tolerance and potential weed competitiveness.
Highlights
Organic agriculture has grown at an unprecedented rate in the past decade
The purpose of this study was to examine the inheritance of traits associated with density tolerance for sweet corn
Higher planting densities can produce barren plants or small ears that are unsalable in varieties that have not been bred for higher density tolerance
Summary
Between 2000 and 2008, certified organic farmland in the United States has more than doubled, from 700,000 hectares to 1.9 million hectares [1]. This small but vibrant sector of the food system has seen steady growth in consumer sales each year. A growing body of literature indicates that organic agriculture positively impacts the environment through non-renewable resource conservation and enhanced biodiversity [3,4]. These indices of farmer interest, consumer demand and environmental stewardship justify continued exploration of best organic practices by the agricultural research community
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