Published July, 1964

of ~
Corn Stalk Internodes

Comparative Strength
D.L.

~
Thompson

of the crushing
strength
and rind
D EVELOPMENT
thickness measurement techniques by Zuber and Gro-

ing approximately 90%of the vascular bundles had been formed.

For 1 to 3 plants per hill the first internode had 680 vascular
bundles and the second 750. For over 15 plants per hill the
first and second internodes had 345 and 403 vascular bundles,
respectively (a reduction of about 50%due to the thick planting rate). Martin and Hershey (10) examiaedthe first and second internodes above the soil and found correlations of .66 to
.72 between the number of vascular bundle~ and the stem diameter. In small stems vascular bundles were reduced 36%in number
and 27 to 30%in size. Bundles were crow.:led closer together in
small stems.
Weaver(15) reported that at maturity the average cross section
areas of internodes below the 13th were the same. Abovethe 13th
there was a progressive decrease in size. The numberof vascular
bundles was the same below the 13th internode and decreased
progressively toward the apex. Heimschet al. (6) reported that
the numberof vascular bundles decreased progressively from lower
to upper internodes, but that the numberin lower internodes was
not constant,
Zuber and Grogan (17) reported that stem diameter of the
second internode above the soil was correlated with crushing
strength and rind thickness of the third intemode (r ~ .34 and
36, respectively, both correlations significa:at at the 1%level).
Increased plant population resulted in a decrease in crushing
strength and rind thickness. Loeschet al. (9) reported that Diplodia maydisinfection did not affect rind thickness but did reduce
crushing strength by approximately200 lbs. for lodging susceptible
crosses.
Zuber and Loesch (18) have summarized current information
relating to crushing strength and rind thickness as measures of
stalk strength.

gan (17) was an important step in placing stalk lodging

resistance, an essential corn breeding objective, on a more
precise laboratory evaluation basis. These measurements,
obtained from 2-irtch sections cut from lower internodes of
mature plants, provide a quantitative
measure of stalk
strength. Previous reports have concerned measurements for
sections cut from the second or third internode (8, 17)
from the first extended internode above the soil (14).
better understanding of stalk strength as characterized by
crushing strength and rind thickness would ensue if the
comparative strengths of all internodes below the ear were
known. Knowledge of the relation of plant spacing (plants
per acre) to cru, hing strength and rind thickness would
also contribute to a more complete understanding.
The purposes of this study were to measure stalk internodes of corn (Zea mays L.) below the ear for crushing
strength, rind thickness, internode diameter, and intemode
length, to ascertain the comparative worth of the internode
measurements in breeding for stalk strength, to relate plant
spacing to crushing strength, rind thickness and stalk lodging, and to examine variance components relating to crushing strength and rind thickness.
LITERATURE

REVIEW

MATERIALS

Most studies have. shown that corn plants have more broken
stalks in close spacings than in wide spacings. Thoseobservations
were reported by Bryanet al. (1), Stringfield and Thatcher (13),
Zuber and Grogan (16, 17), Dungan et al. (3), and Colville
and McGiIl (2). Rounds et al. (12), however, found no
sistent effect of rate and methodof planting on stalk lodging.
Although most reports concerned spacings of 8 to 20,000 plants
per acre, 2 studies involved rates of over 20,000 plants per
acre (2, 13).
Durrell (4) recorded breaking strength of the first 5 nodes
above the ground and found that strength decreased successively
from lower to higher nodes. The first nodes of healthy stems had
approximately twice the strength of the fourth nodes and lower
nodes had more lignification than upper nodes. McRostie and
McLachlan(9) determined strength by breaking, crushing, and
penetration measurementsof the 4 successively higher internodes
above the lowest imernodefree from brace roots for 3 varieties
and 7 hybrids. Strength decreased from lower to higher internodes. The extent of lignification of stem tissue and numberof
vascular bundles in the third internodes were approximatelyonefourth less than that of the first internodes. Foley (5) determined
breaking force of (;-inch stem sections from 9 hybrids. Lower
internodes were strnnger than higher ones.
Murdy (11) found a high correlation between the diameter
of the internodes and the diameter of vascular bundles. Bundles
becameprogressively smaller in successively lower internodes but
an associated increase was noted in sheath sclerenchyma and in
thickness of fiber cell walls. Lowerinternodes had a wider zone
of sclerified parenchyma.
Hershey and Martin (7) found that about 40 days after plant~ Contribution from the Department of Crop Science, North
Carolina Agricultural ExperimentStation, Raleigh, and the Crops
Research Division, ARS,USDA,cooperating. Paper No. 1714 of
the Journal Series of the North Carolina Agr. Exp. Sta. Received
Nov. 26, 1963. A portion of the data reported herein were collected under the supervision of A. J. Crowley,whoresigned before
the study was completed. This research was made possible by
support given the coru breeding project by the North Carolina
Foundation Seed Producers, Inc., and the North Carolina Crop
Improvement Association, Inc. A portion of the computations
were accomplishedby a facility supported by National Institutes
of Health Grant No. FR-0011.
~ Research Agronomist, Crops Research Division, ARS,USDA,
Raleigh, N. C.
384

AND METHODS

Data were obtained during 1960, 1961, and 1962. Two locations (RockyMountand Raleigh, locations I and 2, respectively)
were utilized in each of the 3 years and 2 additional locations
(Lewiston and Wallace) were used in 1960. All locations were
in the Coastal Plain area of North Carolina. Hybrids consisted
of 5 double crosses (Dixie 18, Dixie 82, 1~. C. 288, .Coker 811,
and Pioneer 309B) and 5 single crosses (GTII2 X L578, NC7
X T204, GTI12 X CI.21, NC83 X T204, and F6 >(F44).
Three field studies were conducted: Study A, each internode
below the ear was measured for crushing strength, rind thickness, internode diameter, and internode lertgth (locations 1 and
2, 1960); Study B, the first extended internode above the soil
was measuredfor crushing strength and rind thickness (locations
1 and 2, 1960, 1961, and 1962); Study C, data from Study
plus similar data from the 2 additional locations in 1960.
Twoadditional studies consisted of crushing strength and rind
thickness measurementsof the first extende,fl internode above the
soll for two synthetic populations. Mean,~ have been reported
previously (14) but componentsestimated from analyses of variance are identified herein as Study D (4 locations and 2 years)
and Study E (4 locations). Both were rand,~mized complete block
designs.
Experimental designs for Studies A, B, and C were split plots
in 3 replications with 4 spacings as whole plots and 10 hybrids
as subplots. Spacings were approximately6-, 12-, 18-, and 2d,000
plants per acre. Each subplot was 1 row 4C feet long with single
plant hills. Matureplants were cut at ground level in each plot
and dried. In Study A, one 2-inch sectioa was cut from each
internode below the ear. For convenience internodes were numbered downwardwith the first internode below the ear as one.
The average numberof plants per plot measured for each internode was 6.2 for interuodes 1 through 5:4.7 for internode 6,
and 2.~ for internode 7. The reduced numberof plants for internodes 6 and 7 was a consequence of numbering interuodes from
the ear downward.
Crushing strength, rind thickness and internode diameter were
determined from 2-inch sections cut from each internode. Procedures of Zuber and Grogan(17) were used for crushing strength
and rind thickness. Internode length wasd,.~termined for an average of 2.7 plants per plot selected at random.The first extended
internode above the soil was measuredfor crushing strength and
rind thickness at all locations. For Studies B and C, an average
of 8.2 plants per plot weremeasured.