Inheritance of sulfur status in grain of maize (Zea mays L.) genotypes

Abstract

Reduced sulfur (S) inputs from atmospheric deposition and fertilisers have resulted in a negative S balance in soil. Problem of S status in plant including inheritance influences is not well documented. Objectives of our study are to examine contribution of inheritance on S status in corn kernels and its relationship with grain yield. Twenty-eight direct diallel progenies of eight genetically divergent maize inbred lines (single-cross hybrids) were grown under field conditions in Eastern Croatia in 1994. S contents in grain were determined by ICP technique and the results were calculated on dry matter basis. There were significant differences among the hybrids for both traits investigated. Differences in grain S status among the crosses were from 101 ppm S to 159 ppm. The effects of general combining abilities (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) as sources of variation in ANOVA were significant at p<0.01 for S status. The hybrid progenies of the parental line Os3-93 had in average the highest S value of 143 ppm, and the line Os8Id-93 the lowest (120 ppm). Correspondingly, the GCA effects were 15.3 for the Os3-93, and −12.5 for the Os8Id-93, both significantly different from zero. There was no correlation between sulfur content and yield (r=0.008). Significant positive SCA effects for grain yield and significant negative SCA effect for S content were found in the cross Os5-93×Os6-93 indicating that this relationship is highly specific. Our results suggest that it is possible to select genotypes with the higher S contents, apart from grain yield potential. However, inheritance of S status in grain seems to be complex due to notable specific interactions between genotypes.