Effect of the year on the vegetative and generative phases in the growing period of maize

Abstract

The evaluation of an 8 × 8 diallel cross revealed that the mean length of the growing period was the same for inbred lines and their hybrids. However, the vegetative phase was 7-8% shorter and the generative phase 7-8% longer for the hybrids than for the inbred lines. The generative phase of the growing period, unlike the vegetative phase, proved to be extremely variable. Under dry conditions the length of the generative phase was negatively correlated with the length of the vegetative phase. The later a genotype flowered the less time remained for grain filling, due to the stress which curtailed the growing period. The shorter generative phase of late-flowering hybrids was the reason for the weakening of the growing period-yield correlation under dry conditions. This vulnerability of late-flowering hybrids makes selection for stress tolerance particularly important.