maize mutant phenotypes

Miniature kernel Selfed yellow dent Mn*-N2423A/+ heterozygous mutant ear segregating for small loose pericarp kernels (2dose) and tiny collapsed kernel casings(3 dose) with endosperm missing

miniature kernel Photo of ears homozygous for miniature (mn1) seed (top) and segregating 1:1 for normal vs. miniature kernels. Note loose pericarp from incomplete filling by the smaller endosperm of the mutant kernels.

miniature kernel Selfed colored ACR homozygous mn*-N227B mutant ear showing small dilute colored loose pericarp kernels. Note occasional large dilute kernels, indicating chance combination of favorable modifiers, bringing phenotype except for dilution back to near normal.

miniature kernel Colored ACRPr ear from the cross +/mn*-378C x homozygous mn*-378C showing 1:1 segregation for normal and small grayish loose pericarp mutant kernels with purple silk attachment; note ear also has mottled kernels, indicating possible segregation for r1 in the female parent. Note also a tiny purple spot around silk attachment of many of the mn kernels suggesting general presence in the mutant of a sunlight requiring pigment expressed at the base of the fiber optic like silk.

miniature kernel A normal yellow flint ear (top) and a selfed homozygous mn*-N1373A mutant ear (bottom) showing colored navajo spot on some kernels due to R-nj indicating slow growing healthy aleurone and opaque endosperm tissue that did not fill out the loose pericarp

miniature kernel A selfed ear of homozygous mn4-N888C(bottom) segregating for cp3-N888A and, for comparison, a normal sib ear (top). All the kernels on the mn4 ear, which segregates 3:1 for cp3 and 15:1 for a collapsed orange pericarp phenotype, are smaller and have loose pericarp. The few nearly normal-appearing kernels are probably due to chance combination of favorable modifiers which tend to overcome the weakness of mn.

miniature kernel mn4-N888C, miniature kernel: photo of a Selfed ear of a mn4 mn4, + cp3 plant showing all small loose pericarp kernels with a 3:1 segregation for cp3 and a 15:1 segregation for collapsed orange pericarp. The few normal-appearing kernels are probably due to the chance combination of favorable modifiers which tend to overcome the weakness of mn4 and cp3.