[Absence of heterosis in hybrid corn. Description of the effect]

Abstract

Three unrelated homozygous maize lines, TS11, P22, and ST156, that produced hybrids in which heterosis was either absent or insignificant were identified. These hybrids were phenotypically similar to self-pollinated homozygous lines. Reciprocal crosses showed that the absence of heterosis is controlled by nuclear genes and is not associated with the cytoplasm of inbred lines. Analysis of F2 plants demonstrated that lines TS11, P22, and ST156 contained allelic genes determining the absence of heterosis in hybrid plants. Crosses of lines TS11, P22, and ST156 with a common selection line 092 generated hybrids with normal heterosis. It was concluded that heterozygosity or homozygosity of particular genes in lines TS11, P22, and ST156 play a pivotal role in the manifestation or the absence of hybrid vigor in hybrids.