Relationships of stay green trait in maize

Abstract

Genetic variation for stay green character has been exploited in maize improvement mainly in the light of selecting high yielding rather then typical stay green genotypes. Stay green is an indicator of good plant health later in the season, reduced progressive senescence, tolerance to post-flowering drought and stalk lodging, what ensure superiority of stay green genotypes in comparison to non-stay green ones, especially in drought conditions. The objective of the study was to examine relationship of stay green trait with some vegetative characters in two genetically broad based maize populations. The most consistent correlations with stay green were established for leaf and stalk water content, which has been confirmed by path-coefficient analysis.

Genetička varijabilnost populacija kukuruza za stay green svojstvo je u praktičnom oplemenjivanju korišćena više u svetlu selekcionisanja prinosnijih nego tipičnih stay green genotipova. Stay green je indikator dobrog zdravstvenog stanja biljaka u kasnijim fazama vegetacije, redukovanog progresivnog starenja, tolerantnosti na sušu i tolerantnosti prema poleganju, što obezbeđuje superiornost stay green genotipova u poređenju sa genotipovima koji ne poseduju ovo svojstvo (non-stay green). Ova superiornost posebno dolazi do izražaja u sušnim uslovima. Cilj rada bio je da se ispitaju međusobni odnosi stay green-a i nekoliko vegetativnih svojstava u dve sintetičke populacije kukuruza. Korelacionom i path koeficijent analizom ustanovljeno je da se stay green nalazi u najkonzistenetnijim međusobnim odnosima sa sadržajem vode u listu i sadržajem vode u stablu.