Abstract
Abstract Crown root traits of maize ( Zea mays L.) such as number and diameter are the most easily accessible root traits. Their impact on root lodging resistance is little documented. We evaluated 28 flint x dent hybrids at one location for 2 years for crown root traits and for lengths of internodes. Plants were grown at normal and at supraoptimal density. A maximum number of crown roots was observed at the fifth and sixth nodes, above ground internodes 8‐10 had maximum lengths. After a cool wet year maximum internode length or numbers of roots per node were found at higher tiers. A supraoptimal plant density caused an increase in lengths and a decrease in root numbers at upper internode and node levels. Crown root morphology and histology were studied at normal plant density in one growing season. From the lowest to the highest node level, root diameters increased steadily, whereas the number of late (large) metaxylem vessels in crown roots showed a strong increase at upper nodes. The diameters of metaxylem vessels increased already strongly at lower node tiers. All data were correlated with the root lodging counts from 42 hybrid tests in northern and southern Germany. In the warm year, at normal plant density, length of internodes 6 and 8 were correlated significantly positively with root lodging in about 25 % of all cases. Number of metaxylem vessels in roots at node 6 were significantly negatively correlated with root lodging in more than 20 % of all cases. Specific morphological and histological traits seem to indicate root lodging. However, their expression depends to a great extent on environment which lessens their value for selection.
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Claims 11
Claim · model-written summary
Crown root counts peaked at the fifth and sixth nodes.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A maximum number of crown roots was observed at the fifth and sixth nodes”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Aboveground internodes 8–10 had maximum length.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“above ground internodes 8‐10 had maximum lengths”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
After a cool wet year, peak internode length and roots per node occurred at higher tiers.
- Outcome
- maximum internode length or numbers of roots per nodee0
- Direction
- maximume0
- Qualifier
- After a cool wet yeare0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“After a cool wet year maximum internode length or numbers of roots per node were found at higher tiers.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Supraoptimal density increased internode lengths at upper levels.
- Treatment
- supraoptimal plant densitye0
- Outcome
- lengthse0
- Direction
- increasee0
- Qualifier
- at upper internode and node levelse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A supraoptimal plant density caused an increase in lengths and a decrease in root numbers at upper internode and node levels.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Supraoptimal density decreased root numbers at upper levels.
- Treatment
- supraoptimal plant densitye0
- Outcome
- root numberse0
- Direction
- decreasee0
- Qualifier
- at upper internode and node levelse0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A supraoptimal plant density caused an increase in lengths and a decrease in root numbers at upper internode and node levels.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Root diameter increased from lower to upper nodes.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“From the lowest to the highest node level, root diameters increased steadily”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Late metaxylem vessel counts rose strongly at upper nodes.
- Organ / stage
- upper nodese0
- Outcome
- number of late (large) metaxylem vessels in crown rootse0
- Direction
- increasee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“number of late (large) metaxylem vessels in crown roots showed a strong increase at upper nodes”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Metaxylem vessel diameters increased strongly at lower node tiers.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“The diameters of metaxylem vessels increased already strongly at lower node tiers.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Internode 6 and 8 length correlated positively with lodging in about 25% of cases in a warm year at normal density.
- Organ / stage
- internodes 6 and 8e0
- Outcome
- root lodginge0
- Direction
- positivelye0
- Value
- 25 %e0
- Qualifier
- In the warm year, at normal plant densitye0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“In the warm year, at normal plant density, length of internodes 6 and 8 were correlated significantly positively with root lodging in about 25 % of all cases.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Node 6 metaxylem vessel count correlated negatively with lodging in over 20% of cases.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Number of metaxylem vessels in roots at node 6 were significantly negatively correlated with root lodging in more than 20 % of all cases.”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Environmental dependence lessened the selection value of morphological and histological traits for lodging.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“their expression depends to a great extent on environment which lessens their value for selection.”
t0“Maize”