Abstract:

【Objective】 Ear geometry conditions the grain yield potential in maize. The objective of this study is to quantify the relationships between grain yield and ear 3-D geometry in maize as a pathway to higher crop yield. 【Method】 Ear geometric features were extracted using image analysis from images of ears for each of 10 cultivars in maize. Both grain yield correlations to ear sizes at different geometric dimensions and its regressions as functions of ear shape and size combinations were studied. Three regression equations were built with 3 combinations as predictors of ear extent (EE) and ear length (EL) and width (ED), EE and ear area (EA), and EE and ear volume (EV). 【Result】 These equations in that order explained 77.7%, 70% and 78.7% of total grain yield variations among 10 cultivars studied, 81.7%, 81.3% and 82.% of that among micro-envionments within fields. Simple determination coefficients between grain yield and ear sizes were not significant for EL, EW, EA or EV when evaluated cross all cultivar averages, while that were 0.387, 0.167, 0.590, 0.571 for EL, EW, EA and EV, respectively, in the background of micro-envionments within fields. 【Conclusion】 EE is a novel important trait featuring ear geomotry in maize, and its combinations with ear geometric size features may predict grain yields at high accuracy. Size features ranks of importance as an indirect indicator of grain yields are EV＞EA＞EL and EW.

Key words: maize (Zea mays L.)')">maize (Zea mays L.), image analysis, grain yield, ear geometry, quantitative relations