Hayes and Garber - Cucurbit Breeding

MAIZE BREEDING 197
justification apparently rests on a firm genetic foundation.
yet practical demonstrations of improvement in corn by the
application of Mendelian principles are unavailable.
Relation of Ear Characters to Yield. Corn shows have accomplished
much in teaching growers the characteristics of various
standard varieties. They have, however, over-emphasized the
value of ear type as a means of corn improvement. Much work
has been carried on with the view of determining the relation
between various ear and plant characters and ability to give
high yields. In general, no single character has been found to be
so closely related with yielding ability as to be of much value
from the standpoint of selection. Too close uniformity of type
probably tends to reduce yield, for we have learned that selffertilization
in corn causes a marked decrease in growth vigor as
compared with cross-fertilization.
For the purpose of illustrating the general nature of results
the work of Williams and Welton (1915), in Ohio,
They compared the yields of ears selected on the
basis of wide differences of type. In the majority of cases
selection was continuous, i.e., long ears from the long strain and
short ears from the short strain. Summarized results are given
in Table XLIV.
in this field,
may be used.
As
TABLE XLIV.
RELATION BETWEEN EAR CHARACTERS AND YIELD
Characters worked with