Development of Axillary Buds in Maize in Relation to Barrenness¹

Abstract

Synopsis The formation of floral organs in maize is not prevented by dense planting. Competitive pressure does not produce a marked retardation of ear elongation, ovary development, or silk elongation until approximately 74 days after planting. Barrenness is the result of failure of silk emergence during the pollen‐shedding period.

Barrenness and Changes in Tassel Development and Flowering Habit of Hybrid Maize Associated with Low Air Temperatures

“…Barrenness has been reported to occur due to excessive planting density (Sass and Loeffel, 1959;Stinson and Moss, 1960). The planting density in the farmers' fields in Konsen region where severe barrenness occurred in 2003 was 8 -9 plants m -2 which is relatively higher than in the other regions in Hokkaido.…”

“…Barrenness can occur due to many causes, such as excessive planting density (Sass and Loeffel, 1959;Stinson and Moss, 1960), deficiency of assimilates after pollination due to shortage of radiation (Andrade et al, 2000;Sato et al, 2001), water deficiency during silking period (Hall et al, 1982;Schoper et al, 1986), insects damage (Sendo et al, 1995), shortage of pollen scattering (Uribelarrea et al, 2002;Westgate et al, 2003), decreased pollen viability due to high temperatures during pollination (Herrero and Johnson, 1980), and elongation of the anthesis-silking interval (Wooley et al, 1962;Bassetti and Westgate, 1994). To the best of our knowledge, however, there is no report on the barrenness associated with low temperatures in commercial cultivars.…”

Physiological and morphological responses of corn genotypes to planting date and plant population

“…The interval between tasseling and silking has been found to increase approximately one day for every 3500-4000 increase in plant population (Kohnke and Miles 1951, Sass and Loeffel 1959, Dun g an e^ a2. 1958, Woolley e^ aj.. 1962, Moss and Stinson 1961, Schwanke 1965, Stringfield 1962.…”

“…high plant population, detasseling and male sterility; has been attributed to the differential accumulation of dry matter (Sowell ^ 1961, Moss andStinson 1961), rate of silk emergence (Sass and Loeffel 1959), ear primordia growth (Sass and Loeffel 1959, Collins 1963, Prine 1965, length of the interval between tasseling and silking (Woolley ^ 1962, Sass and Loeffel 1959, Moss and Stinson 1961, Kohnke and Miles 1951, Schwanke 1965, nitrate reductrace (Zieserl ^ 1963, Knipmeyer et 1962 and plant sugar concentrations (Van Reen and Singleton 1952, Moss and Stinson 1961, Sowell ^ 1961, and Knipmeyer e± al. 1962)» Total dry matter production per plant decreases with increased plant population was shown by Eisele (1935), Shading experiment by Moss and Stinson (1961) and Earley ^ £l.…”

“…silking may be considered as a form of intra-plant competition. Sass and Loeffel (1959) studied three single crosses and four inbreds at population levels of 12,000 and 24,000 plants per acre and con cluded that tassel initiation was not inhibited by higher planting rates, but barrenness was associated with a marked retardation in the development of the pistillate flower, and particularly the ear and silk elongation which normally occurred approximately Ih days after planting was retarded. Sass (1960) ascribed the failure of second ear development to factors as sociated with competition prior to and after anthesis and not to a failure of pollination.…”