Effects of reduced plant height on breeding requirements and ...

and kernels per bpike.
Inconsistent relationships between kernel weight and
pfant <strong>height</strong> have been reported. A positive association
has been reported in barley (Fiuzat and Atkins, A953 and
Konishi, 1976) and in wheat by several workers (Johnson
et al. 1966àr Shahs, I969i Kaufmann g.!.4., 1969r Reddi
et a1., 1969). lwo inve stigations (Fonseca and Patterson,
1p6B; Lebsock and Àmaya, 1969) indicated a positive
relationship in some wheat and durum wheat crosses, and no
relationship in others, whí1e Vüallace et at. (l-954) report-
ed no association in oats, as dÍd Crook and Poehlman (f9?1)
ln results from a barley expe:'inent.
Konishi (f9?6) reported that the shorter barleys he
worked with were generally inferior to the normal cultivar's
for grain weight per spike, but, his better semi-dwarfs had
the same or slightly better grain weight per spike than the
normal. Hígh grain weÍght per spike results from a combination
<strong>of</strong> large numbers <strong>of</strong> kernels per spike and high kernel
weight.
the relatíonshÍp <strong>of</strong> yield. and its components with <strong>plant</strong>
<strong>height</strong> is not consístent. Depending on the genotypes in-
volved in the study ând the environment in which the research
was conducted, various researchers have arrived at different
conclusions. McNeal et al. (19?4) stated, "these data
suggest that genotype determines the relationship <strong>of</strong> <strong>plant</strong>
heÍght to grain yield and yÍeld cornponents, as rnight be
expected when semi-d$¡arf and conventional <strong>height</strong> tlru)es are
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