Low-temperature tolerance of maize and sorghum seedlings grown under the same environmental conditions. Issue 3 (4th May 2019)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Antony, Reshma M.; Kirkham, M.B.; Todd, Timothy C.; Bean, Scott R.; D. Wilson, Jeff; R. Armstrong, Paul; Maghirang, Elizabeth; L. Brabec, Daniel
• Is Part Of: Journal of crop improvement. Volume 33:Issue 3(2019)
• Page Start: 287
• Page End: 305
• Publication Date: 2019-05-04
• Subjects: Amylose -- cold stress -- protein -- Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench -- starch -- Zea mays L; Crop science -- Periodicals; 631.5
• DOI: 10.1080/15427528.2019.1579139
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1542-7528

Abstract

ABSTRACT: Even though maize ( Zea mays L.) is considered to be more cold tolerant than sorghum [ Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench], no studies have directly compared the ability of the two crops to tolerate low temperature when grown together under the same environmental conditions. Therefore, the objective of this experiment was to compare the low-temperature tolerance of the two crops at the seedling stage. A second objective was to analyze seeds for size (width and weight) and biochemical characteristics (content of protein, starch, and amylose). Five commercial hybrids of maize and 18 genotypes of sorghum were maintained in growth chambers for 31 days at two temperatures: a control air temperature (25/20°C, day/night) and low temperatures of the air (11/8°C for 14 days; 12.5/9.5°C for 14 days; and 14/11°C for 3 days). Both maize and sorghum seedlings emerged when the low temperatures reached 12.5/9.5°C; 100 and 18% of the emerged maize and sorghum seedlings survived, respectively. At harvest of maize under the control and low temperatures, mean shoot dry weights per plant were 4.16 g and 0.03 g, respectively. At harvest of sorghum under the control temperature, mean shoot dry weight per plant was 1.33 g. The sorghum plants grown under the low temperatures were too small for measurement of shoot dry weight. Mean widths of the maize and sorghum seeds were 7.9 mm and 2.6 mm, respectively. Maize was found to be more low-temperature tolerant than sorghum, perhaps attributable, in part, to its larger seed size.