Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Guang-Jauh Shieh

Abstract:

    Tainan-White (TNW) is a native maize population and has been cultivated for over 90 years in Taiwan. TNW has been conventionally utilized as green corn. Seed from eight TNW populations collected from Hualien, Taipei, Taichung, Yunlin, Chiayi, Kaohsiung, Pingtung and Taitung were planted at Wufeng to study the pericarp characters. The results showed significant differences in kerenl weight, germinal surface thickness, abgerminal surface thickness, average thickness, difference of germinal minus abgerminal thickness among the eight TNW maize populations. The Taipei population has larger kernel weight, and the Hualin population has smaller kernel weight. The Kaoshiung and Taipei populations has thicker pericarp, and those from Hualien and Taitung have thiner pericarp. The Kaoshiung population has hihgest pericarp contents, and the populations form Yunlin, Pingtung and Taitung contain lower proportion. These results indicated that the eight TNW maize populations have already differentiated in the genetic component of the pericarp characters. Phenotypic correlation between germinal surface thickness and abgerminal surface thickness, average thickness of the pericarp were positive, and highly significant. Thus, the germinal surface thickness can be used as selection parameter for pericarp thickness improvement in the green corn.

Key words:Tainan-White, Maize, Population, Pericarp, Variation

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