ChileanJAR

Several publications indicate that rice, wheat, and corn plants with erect leaves have better yield than plants with lax leaves, as they receive more Iight, specially under high density sowing. As the posture of the leaves is a character controled by few genes and of high heredability it would be a very valuable characteristic to allow the selection for yield in segregating generations. Using the variety yield trials at La Platina Exp. Sta. during 1986, 1987, and 1988 plants were classified according to this character and the average yield was calculated for varieties of each type. During 1986, 201 varieties were studied, 156 during 1987, and 400 in 1988. On the average, in these three crop seasons, the 190 varieties with erect leaves had a yield of 95.13% of the checks while the 567 with intermediate and lax leaves had a yield of 95.75%. No significant differences was found between them.