THE YIELD CAPACITY OF MAIZE ISONUCLEAR INBRED LINES (ZEA MAYS L.)

This paper presents the yield capacity, kernel dry matter and grain quality for five maize isonuclear inbred lines groups. The isonuclear inbred lines were created at ARDS Turda, by nucleus transfer from elite maize inbred lines (early and intermediate maturing inbred lines) on various types of cytoplasm of American and European inbred lines origin. The nucleus transfer was realized through 10 back-cross-breeding procedures, considering that over 99.8% of the nucleus genes were transferred in this way. The grain yield, kernel dry matter at harvest and percentage of unbroken plants at harvest for five maize isonuclear inbred lines groups, each group obtained by nucleus transfer on six different cytoplasm types, are presented. The elite inbred lines used as recurrent parents (nucleus genes donors) have been: TC 209, TC 243, TC 221, TB 367 and D105. The plasmagenes and the interaction between the cytoplasm genes and the nucleus genes influenced in a few situations the isonuclear lines yield capacity and the kernel dry matter accumulation and had no influence on the resistance to plant breaking at harvest. The cytoplasm diversification could bring a variability source for maize inbred lines improvement.