Selective Fertilization in Maize, Zea mays L. : II. An Attempt for Generalization of Advantage of Pollen Grains from F₁ Plant

Abstract

Previously the authors (MURAKAMI et al. 1972) reported the predominance of pollen grains from F₁ plant in selective fertilization as compared wlth pollen grains from inbred lines. The selective fertilization of pollen graln.s from inbred lines and F₁s observed in that experiment was, however, tested by using one particular inbred line as a female parent to be pollinated and as a pollen source to be mixed with pollen grains from other lines. The present study was planned to confirm whether the predominance of pollen grains from F₁ plant in selective fertilization reported in th_e previous paper generally occurs in the pollination of all combinations of pollen and female parents including F₁. In thls experiment (Table 1), two sets of inbred lines and their F₁s were used as female parents, i.e. A34 (W₁)', CI 64 (W₂), and A34XCI 64 (WF₁) in Set I, and Koshu-564 (O₁)' Outomorokoshi-143 (0₂), and Koshu-564XOutomorokoshi-143 (O_F1) in Set II As regards endosperm character, the materials for female parents in Set I were white dent, and on the other hand those of in Set II were orange flint, respectively. Due to xenia, the kernels fertilized by pollen grains from the alternative endosperm characters in pollen-mixture always produced yellow kernel in the both sets. The pollination by pollenmixture consisting of equal volumes of pollen grains from an inbred line or F₁ plant of two different endosperm characters was performed (Table 2).