Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Shao-Kuo Liu and Guang-Jauh Shieh*

Abstract:

    The number of inbred lines with thin pericarp (< 50μm in thickness) varied among the tropical type of super-sweet corn (Zea mays) investigated:high in the varieties, Bright Jean and Su-Jean, moderately high in the varieties Summer-Honey, PH 5 and TN 103 and low in the varieties PH 10, Two-Fish, and Spring-Honey.  The thickness of pericarp also varied with different areas of the same corn kernel:thin at the crown cap, moderately thick at the germinal side, and thick at the abgerminal.  In the temperate type of super-sweet corn, the varieties Hao Zih Wei, Sinon 3, Golden honey and Sin Ji Shih, produced more inbred lines with thin pericarp (< 50 μm in thickness) than the other varieties tested.  Result of analysis of a full diallel set of crossing combination (90 crosses) of 10 inbred lines (5 tropical type and 5 temperate type).  Results showed the average pericarp hickness of each kernel was the highest for the seeds of tropical type × tropical type (112.0μm in thickness), followed by the seeds of tropical type × temperate type (87.34μm in thickness) and temperate type × temperate type (68.75μm in thickness).  Among the 13 crosses with seed pericarp thinner than 70μm, seven crosses were from the tropical type × temperate type.  Therefore, the possibility of breeding super-sweet corn with yield and good quality (sweetness and thin pericarp) would be increased by selections from crosses between tropical and temperate type of corn.

Key words:Super-sweet corn, Zea mays, Tropical type, Temperate type, Pericarp thickneness

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