Inheritance of Long Husk Leaves of Maize in Recombinant Inbred lines (RILs)

Abstract

Husk leaves, surround and usually tightly enclose leaf sheaths, resulted in increase of yield production. Relative frequency distributions of visual husk leaves ratings on Hawaii M Set showed that most populations were skewed toward the lower values in the winter trial (2002) as well as in the spring trial (2003). Recombinant inbred lines (RILs) of Hawaii M Set were derived from inbred Hi38c1(bt) and Ia453 and the visual score ratings of husk leaves of their parents, Hi38c1(bt) and Ia453, were averaged 1.18 and 5.81, respectively. The visual score ratings of husk leaves for the RILs were ranged from 1.0 to 7.5 with average of 2.15. The length of husk leaf of the first ear showed positive correlation with that of second ear (r=0.85, P<0.01). The number of tiller showed high correlation with the length of husk leaves in RILs of Hawaii M Set (r=0.45, P<0.01). Most of the RILs possessed characteristics of long husk leaves (lhls), prolificacy as well as tiller characters. Breeding for maize with lhls and/or tillering appear to hold promise for improving silage maize yield,