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Some Physiological Effects of Viviparous Genes vp₁ and vp₅ on Developing Maize Kernels ¹

^a Department of Horticulture, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, Urbana, Illinois 61801

The effects of two viviparous genes, vp₁ and vp₅, on development of the maize (Zea mays L.) embryo and endosperm were investigated. Differences between viviparous and normal embryos first appeared at 25 to 30 days after pollination. Increases in fresh weights indicated that viviparous began to grow more rapidly than normal embryos at that time. Amino acids and ethanol-soluble carbohydrates also accumulated more rapidly in viviparous, but a reserve material (lipid) was lower in viviparous than in normal embryos.

The fresh and dry weights and total nitrogen content of endosperms from viviparous resembled those of normal seeds until about 30 days after pollination, but were all lower in viviparous after that time. Pronounced differences in -amylase activity were not observed until late in development (40 days after pollination) when the enzyme increased in viviparous seeds only. Developmental changes in viviparous seeds generally resemble those of normally germinating seeds.

¹ This work was supported by funds from the University of Illinois Agriculture Experiment Station.

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