Metaxenia Effect on Dent Corn Pericarp Thickness 1

If pericarp thickness in corn ( Zea mays L.) is directly influenced by the pollen parent, then open‐pollinated ears in a study of pericarp thickness would be subject to a bias. We answered this question by using pollen mixtures identifiable by resultant endosperm color. Our results from four sets of thick‐thin mixtures indicated a lack of a metaxenia effect for the lines involved. Coupled with results we obtained earlier on pericarp thickness of lines pollinated by several pollinators, plus a lack of an effect from tissue underlying the pericarp, we concluded there was a general lack of a metaxenia effect on pericarp thickness of mature corn kernels.