• KOREAN JOURNAL OF CROP SCIENCE
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• v.51 no.5
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• pp.425-431
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• 2006

In order to investigate the effects of ethylene on the seed development of three corn types (dent, sweet, and super sweet corns), aminoethoxyvinyl glycine (AVG) and silver thiosulfate (STS) and ethephon (2-chloroethylphosphonic acid, CEPA) were applied either on whole plants or shanks of ears at 9 and 21 days after silking. Ethylene production of developing super sweet corn seeds was much higher than those of sweet and dent corns. The cavity in the endosperm tissues of the super sweet corn started earlier and endosperm was collapsed more severely compared to those of sweet and dent corns. Ethylene production seemed to be related to the death of endosperm cells to form a cavity. Application of AVG and STS reduced ethylene production and delayed cavity formation in endosperm of super sweet corn seeds, while CEPA increased ethylene production and enhanced the time of cavity formation. AVG and STS increased 100-seed weight, while CEPA decreased.