Genetic and environmental influences on micronutrient concentrations in corn (Zea mays L.) plants

Four genetically diverged corn (Zea mays L.) inbred lines and their 12 hybrids were grown under field conditions on two soils in Croatia. For the diagnosis of the nutritional status ear leaf samples were taken at the beginning of the silking stage and the zinc, manganese, iron and copper content was determined using a dry ashing procedure. Significant differences in the micronutrient concentration between the corn genotypes were found for all elements and on both sites. The reduced iron content in the inbred line Os87-24 is probably related to the lower iron status in its hybrids. In case of the copper content of the hybrids it can be shown that there content is directly dependent on the copper concentrations in their parents. Also the lower managenese status in the genotype Os86-39 was closely related to the content in its progeny. Significant differences in the micronutrient status between the two sites could be observed.