EFFECT OF MOISTURE CONTENT ON VITREOUS MATRIX FORMATION OF MAIZE KERNEL IN NORMAL, OPAQUE-2 AND QPM GERMPLASM.

Opaque-2 mutation is associated with enhanced nutritional quality but it negatively influences the maize kernel texture. In present study, role of moisture content in the kernel texture of developing maize grain was observed in selfed ears of normal, opaque-2 and QPM lines at 15, 30 and 45 days after pollination (DAP). Results revealed that moisture content decreases with kernel development and opaque-2 retains higher moisture (23.53%) as compared to normal (12.95%) and QPM lines (12.5%). At initial stages, all maize types had 100% opaqueness but with maturity normal and QPM showed 0 to 25% opaqueness whereas opaque-2 germplasm still had 75-100% opaqueness. Overall, it can be concluded that low moisture content is important to retain the vitreous kernel texture with maturity as was in normal and QPM lines whereas high moisture content leads to chalky and opaque kernel texture in opaque-2 lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]