Isolines can be used for studies regarding the cytoplasmic influence of certain maize traits, for improving some of these traits but also for avoiding the cytoplasmic uniformity of the genetic basis. The aim of this paper was to identify any differences between five inbred line and their isogenic counterpart regarding the plant height, ear height, the number of leaves/ plant, leaf area and tassel length. The novelty of this study consists on the inbred lines used and the very specific conditions from the two experimental years. Several research were conducted on male sterile germplasm, but our study relate to fertile inbred lines. The biological material used consists of 25 inbred lines: 20 isolines and the five original inbreds. The isolines were obtained after transferring the nucleus of five inbred lines on four cytoplasm sources using the backcross method for ten generations. The inbred lines were studied in 2013 and 2014 at the maize breeding field of the Agricultural Research and Development Station Turda, Romania. There were identified two cytoplasm (T 248 and TC 221) that significantly influenced the plant and ear height, leaf area and the tassel length. These two cytoplasms can be used to improve these four traits. On this study we also found some interaction between the cytoplasm and the nucleus that caused significant differences when the isoline was compared to the original inbred, so each particular situation should be taken into consideration. The use of different cytoplasms caused increases or decreases for every trait; one cytoplasm can led to one trait increase for one inbred line, and decreases for another one. The results obtained can be used in further maize inbred line breeding programs, but also for obtaining more performant maize hybrids. The cytoplasms used in this study can be starting biological material for new isolines, but is very important to test their reaction to other linbred lines. We did not encounter any limitation during this study.

cytoplasm, isoline, maize

Presentation: oral