THE INHERITANCE OF SALMON SILK COLOR IN MAIZE 1 
E. G. Anderson 
At the Nebraska State Corn Show of 1908, a number of odd types of 
corn were gathered together to forma " freak" class. Among them was 
a " Bronze Pop Corn," so named became of a light bronze color in 
the pericarp. This ear was obtained by Professor R. A. Emerson, after 
the exhibit was over, in order to study the inheritance of that pericarp 
color. The plants grown therefrom were also characterized by brown or 
brownish silks (Plate LIII). An outcross gave green silks in the Fi. From 
brown-silked segregates in the progeny of this cross, a true-breeding stock 
was again obtained. This stock was used in crosses for a study of the 
inheritance of pericarp color. In one small F 2 of only five plants, there 
appeared three with green silks and one with brown. The fifth plant 
had very brilliant salmon or orange-colored silks (Plate LII). This plant 
was a dilute sun red with red pericarp. It was crossed with red, green, 
and brown silk colors, and with a purple plant having brown silks. Fi's 
were grown and selfed to obtain F 2 progenies. The crosses with red and 
with green silks gave in Fi red and green silks, respectively. The cross 
with brown silks gave salmon. 
In order to devote more time to studies on aleurone and plant colors 
and other problems, Dr. Emerson at this point requested the writer to 
take up the study of these silk colors and their relation to other characters 
in maize. In his further studies the writer has had the advantage of the 
hearty cooperation and ever-ready suggestions of Dr. Emerson, and he 
wishes to acknowledge his sincere gratitude for this help and encouragement. 
NOMENCLATURE 
The factors referred to in this paper, together with the factor symbols 
used, are given in the following list: 
A a — Anthocyanin pigment. A factor pair for pigmentation of aleurone, 
sheaths, leaves, anthers, and so forth. (Emerson, 1918, 1921.) 
B b — Brown plant color. A factor pair for leaf and sheath pigmentation. 
(Emerson, 1921.) 
1 Paper No. 83, Department of Plant Breeding, Cornell University, Ithaca, New York. 
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