Journal of Taiwan Agricultural Research

Author:Guang-Jauh Shieh*, Wen-Long Tsaur, King-Hsing Yang, and Hung-Shung Lu

Abstract:

    All possible cross combinations were made among six maize (Zea mays L.) inbred lines that selected from different germplasms. Seed germination test was carried out on Filter paper in petri dish. Three replicates, 50 seeds of each genotypes, were tested at five concentrations (0, 5, 25, 50, 100 mM) of ammonium (NH₄⁺). Applied by 30 ml ammonium solution each petridish. After incubation of maize seed at 36±1℃ in controlled growth chamber for 10 days. Seed germination characters including mean time to germination, germination rate, germination potential in 3 day, and germination coefficient, were investigated. Analysis of variance indicated that four germination characters were highly affected by ammonium ion, genotype, and interaction between ammonium and genotype. The germination rate, germination potential in 3 days, and germination coefficient were decreased while the ammonium concentration increased. The retardation of seed germination was more significantly, when the ammonium concentration higher than 50 mM. In this trial, the degree of tolerance for ammonium showed variation in inbred lines. Based on Griffing’s method of analysis, the result indicated that general combining ability (GCA), specific combining ability (SCA), and reciprocal effect (RE) significantly affected all germination characters at various ammonium concentrations. The contribution ratio order was GCA>RE>SCA. And the GCA/SCA ratio of germination characters in high NH₄⁺ concentration (50 mM) were smaller than low NH₄⁺ concentration. In this trial, the genotype TA85-17, H95, ICAL21O x A661, TA85-17x A661, and A661 x TA85-17 shoos’ed better ammonium tolerance when germinated at higher ammonium concentration.

Key words:Ammonium (NH₄⁺), Maize, Germination, Combining ability

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