87DIA4

Corn

Variety Description

Variety used for comparison: 'LH227'

Summary: '87DIA4' has a shorter plant height than 'LH227'. The leaves of '87DIA4' have a larger angle from the stalk and are wider than the leaves of 'LH227'. The anthers of '87DIA4' have strong anthocyanin colouration whereas the reference variety has none. The shanks of '87DIA4' are longer than those of 'LH227'.

Description:

'87DIA4' is an inbred corn variety. At inflorescence emergence, the angle of the leaf with the stalk is horizontal (40 to 50 degrees). After male flowering, the leaf blade is wide with no anthocyanin of the sheath. There are few leaves per stem (11 to 13) with no anthocyanin colouration of the stem nodes and internodes.

Tassel emergence and male flowering is mid to late season for '87DIA4'. There is weak anthocyanin colouration on the ring at the base of the glumes. The anthers have strong anthocyanin colouration and male sterility is absent. At the end of male flowering, the main axis above the lowest side branch is short and short to medium length above the upper side branch. Branches on the main axis of the tassel are sparse. There are few semi-erect lateral branches (3 to 10) with a medium size angle (30 to 60 degrees) between the main axis and lateral branches.

Anthocyanin colouration of the silks is weak one to two days after emergence and pink, two to three days after emergence. The shank or peduncle is long to very long. There is a low to medium amount of plants with ear wings. The ear of '87DIA4' is cylindrical-conical in shape with a medium to large diameter in the middle-third of the ear including and excluding kernels. There is a medium number of rows of kernels (13 or 14). Anthocyanin colouration of cob glumes is present. The wedge-shaped kernels of '87DIA4' are flint/dent type (50/50%) and yellow-orange in colour on the dorsal side. The kernel tip is yellow in colour.

Origin & Breeding History: '87DIA4' was derived from the cross '2FACC' x 'AQA3' made in the summer of 1988. Seed was grown ear-to-row from 1989 to 1992. In the summer of 1993, seed from one ear was bulked and named '87DIA4'. Selection criteria included yield in hybrid combination, earliness, resistance to Northern Corn Leaf Blight, resistance to eyespot, resistance to lodging, good germination, seedling vigour and stress tolerance.

Tests & Trials: Tests and trials for '87DIA4'were conducted at London, Ontario in 2000 and 2001. The trials consisted of two replicates with two rows per replicate. The rows were 4.5 meters long with approximately 22 plants per row.

Comparison tables for '87DIA4' with reference variety 'LH227'

Plant height (cm)

Height of principle ear insertion (cm)

Number of days from emergence to 50% of plants in silk

Ear length (mm)

Kernel weight (grams/1000 kernels)