Abstract
In maize (Zea mays L.), the gradient in floret development and silk length along the ear at silking determines a time lag between early- and late-appearing silks, which results in pollination asynchrony between them. This asynchrony is partially responsible of reduced kernel set at the ear tip, and hybrids differ in this trait. The objective of this work was to analyze the pattern of floret and silk differentiation and elongation at different spikelet positions (Sn) along the apical ear of two hybrids of contrasting ear size (DEA ≅ 500 spikelets ear−1; DK696 ≅ 800 spikelets ear−1). At silking, both hybrids had reached approximately the same proportion of final ear length (about 44%), but DK696 had differentiated a greater number of spikelets row−1 (46 spikelets) than DEA (33 spikelets). Silk initiation rate was always faster than spikelet initiation rate, and silk extension dynamics was similar for all spikelet positions. Silks from the base of the ear were always longer than those from the tip (S25 in DEA or S35 in DK696). Before pollination, silks experienced an early phase of exponential elongation followed by a phase of linear growth. A drastic reduction in elongation rate followed silk emergence, which did not occur when ears were bagged and pollination was prevented. Convergence in silking among spikelets along the ear could be attained by (i) synchronous silk initiation among spikelet positions, followed by a similar pattern of silk elongation in all florets (hybrid DEA), or (ii) increased silk elongation rate in apical florets (hybrid DK696).
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Claims 10
Claim · model-written summary
At silking, both maize hybrids had reached about 44% of their final ear length.
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“At silking, both hybrids had reached approximately the same proportion of final ear length (about 44%)”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
DK696 had differentiated 46 spikelets per row, more than DEA with 33.
- Material
- DK696e0
- Outcome
- spikelets row−1e0
- Direction
- greatere0
- Value
- 46 spikeletse0
- Qualifier
- 33 spikeletse0
- Comparator
- DEAe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“DK696 had differentiated a greater number of spikelets row−1 (46 spikelets) than DEA (33 spikelets)”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Silk initiation was faster than spikelet initiation.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Silk initiation rate was always faster than spikelet initiation rate”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Silk extension dynamics were similar across spikelet positions.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“silk extension dynamics was similar for all spikelet positions”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Silks at the ear base were longer than those at the tip.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Silks from the base of the ear were always longer than those from the tip (S25 in DEA or S35 in DK696)”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Before pollination, silks underwent exponential elongation followed by linear growth.
- Organ / stage
- Before pollinatione0
- Outcome
- early phase of exponential elongation followed by a phase of linear growthe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Before pollination, silks experienced an early phase of exponential elongation followed by a phase of linear growth”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Silk elongation rate dropped sharply after silk emergence.
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A drastic reduction in elongation rate followed silk emergence”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
Bagging ears to prevent pollination prevented the post-emergence reduction in silk elongation rate.
- Treatment
- ears were bagged and pollination was preventede0
- Outcome
- reduction in elongation ratee0
- Direction
- did not occure0
Not reportedComparator
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“A drastic reduction in elongation rate followed silk emergence, which did not occur when ears were bagged and pollination was prevented”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
In DEA, synchronous initiation and similar elongation across florets could produce convergence in silking.
- Material
- DEAe0
- Outcome
- Convergence in silkinge0
- Qualifier
- synchronous silk initiation among spikelet positions, followed by a similar pattern of silk elongation in all floretse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Convergence in silking among spikelets along the ear could be attained by (i) synchronous silk initiation among spikelet positions, followed by a similar pattern of silk elongation in all florets (hybrid DEA)”
t0“Maize”
Claim · model-written summary
In DK696, faster silk elongation in apical florets could produce convergence in silking.
- Material
- DK696e0
- Outcome
- Convergence in silkinge0
- Qualifier
- increased silk elongation rate in apical floretse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e0“Convergence in silking among spikelets along the ear could be attained by (i) synchronous silk initiation among spikelet positions, followed by a similar pattern of silk elongation in all florets (hybrid DEA), or (ii) increased silk elongation rate in apical florets (hybrid DK696)”
t0“Maize”
The same questions in other papers
pollination · growth · Zea mays (maize)Positive and negative results
2 papers in the same direction as this paper · 5 in the opposite direction
- negative
- no effect
- negative
4 papers more in this group
See all 8 papers →Claims are grouped by organism, treatment and what was measured or targeted. A paper counts as positive when any of its claims in the group is positive.