ontario sugar beet growers - Atrium - University of Guelph

of 10 (Fig. 6). Plant growth characteristics were assessed by measuring the average plant
heights on July 15 and August 8, and plant vigour ratings on July 1 1 and 30. Seed quality
and seed corn cob characteristics were assessed at harvest on September 28 by measuring
and averaging the length of 10 cobs per plot, lining across 10 cobs and measuring the
total width, counting the number of cobs per treatment, counting both kernel numbers per
row and number of rows per cob. Yield assessments were taken weighing the cobs with
husks on and off and converting the weights to a given 18% moisture, recording the
actual field moisture at time of harvest and providing shelled corn yields adjusted to 18%
for each seed corn inbred.
OBSERVATIONS
Drought Spiking - Certain inbreds showed early spiking, narrowing and twisting of
leaves, Fig. 4, responding to the dry soil conditions. The most spiked seed corn inbreds
were Hyland T22-7B and INB 507 while the least spiking occurred in inbreds Hyland
T50-B1, Pride #1 and 2, Fig 5.The Pride seed corn inbreds were all relatively tolerant to
early dry soil conditions. Table 1.
Fig 4. Drought spiking showing narrowing and twisting of leaves.