METHODOLOGY TO ESTIMATE MAIZE GENOTYPES LEAF AREA

This experiment was conduct aiming to characterize the plant architecture of the main maize genotypes used in Brazil and to evaluate the methodology to estimate leaf dimensions and leaf area index from the leaf with biggest area. For this reason, field experiment was installed at Piracicaba, State of São Paulo, Brazil, using forty-four maize genotypes, three open pollinated varieties, eight double hybrids, eight triple hybrids, ten single hybrids and fifteen lines. Leaf angles, leaf lengths, leaf widths and leaf areas were evaluated. The studied genetic bases had distinct performance for the evaluated variable. Maize plants presented heptagonal, regular or irregular architecture, and making it possible to use the methodology proposed by Stewart & Dwyer (1999) to estimate the length and the area of the leaf considering the measurements of the leaf with biggest area and its order for the genotypes cultivates in Brazil.