Genotypic Variation in Maize Shoot Biomass at Different Stages of Development

A diallel cross from nine early-maturing lines of maize was grown in northern Germany during 1981 and 1982 in order to study the genotypic variation of shoot biomass at early and late stages of development. Inbred lines had been chosen from breeding programmes for early and medium early cultivars. Nevertheless, the date of maturity varied between them which can have some influence on the correlation between plant parameters. Plants were harvested at the fourth and sixth leaf stages, at anthesis and at maturity. S.c.a. effects were highly significant for traits during the vegetative stage. G.c.a. effects were highly significant for traits of the mature plant including grain yield components. The ratio of g.c.a. to s.c.a. effects for shoot biomass was dominated throughout the growing season by s.c.a. effects. Hybrids from the diallel cross had a superior growth rate until the fourth leaf stage; thereafter, relative growth rates of lines and hybrids were similar for the average of both groups until maturity. The correlation of g.c.a. effects and s.c.a. effects between shoot biomass throughout the season revealed that no significant relationship existed between early and late stages. G.c.a. and s.c.a. effects for grain yield components, with the exception of hundred kernel weight, were negatively correlated with shoot biomass at an early stage while correlation was positive at maturity. This would probably make it a difficult task to improve shoot growth and grain yield components simultaneously through the season.