Morphological parameters of maize endospermal mutants seedlings and effect of seed storage regimes on them

Abstract

Endospermal mutants of maize are a source of valuable raw materials for various industries and directions of consumption. Therefore, problem of their seeds longevity is relevant for storage in genebanks, breeding and seed-growing establishments.

The aim and tasks of the study was to determine effect of different storage regimes on morphometric characteristics of seedlings from seeds of maize endosperm mutants.

Material and methods. Seeds of six simple hybrids F1 and 12 their parental lines – carriers of endospermal mutations: wx, ae, su₁, se, sh₂, and dentate type are used as the material. The seeds were affected by accelerated aging using the method of B.S. Likhachev (1978), freezing during a month and combined regime – accelerated aging + freezing.

Results and discussion. The decrease in the indices of all morphometric traits under influence of three factors was shown by carriers of the mutation sh₂ ♀SS386 and ♂SS389. Their F1 hybrid, as a rule, increased the indices and reduced only length of the seedling under the combined regime. Reduction of most indicators of morphometric traits under accelerated aging was observed in carriers wx: Binom, ♀VK69 and ♂VK64. Positive effect of accelerated aging and freezing was observed on the indices of all three morphological characters in ae carriers: AE800/AE392, ♀AE392, ♂ AE800. The excess of the hybrid over the parent lines in length of seedling and number of roots after accelerated aging and freezing manifested in the dentate hybrid Vympel, in the number and total length of roots – in carriers of sh₂ SS389 / SS386; in total roots length and seedling length – from the carrier su₁ Dmytryk. In general, the hybrids AE800/AE392 (ae) and SS389/SS386 (sh₂) are more homeostatic than the parent lines.

Conclusions. The highest longevity is characterized for the seeds of dentate maize and carriers of ae and su₁, comparatively low longevity–carriers of wx and se, and the lowest – carriers of sh₂.