AbstractInvestigations were done on six maize inbred lines of different origin and their diallel set of crosses. Seedlings grown at 14°, 22°, 30° and 38°C until three leaves stage were studied for morphological, anatomical and photosynthetic traits of leaves. These traits were screened for correlation with shoot dry weight at harvest under field conditions i) in 1981 and 1982 in North Germany, cool climate (CS); ii) 1981 in Thailand (WS). The correlation between seedling traits under controlled conditions and shoot dry weight under field conditions markedly changed after anthesis. Some few seedling traits closely correlated with biomass yield, favourably at 14° and 38°C. They mostly belonged to the morphology and anatomy of the leaves (area first leaf at 38°C, r = 0.6—0.7, all locations; depth of stomata below the epidermal surface at 38°C, r =—0.5 at CS and —0.7 at WS). In spite of significant correlations between single seedling traits and biomass yield a relyable prediction of biomass yield should best be based on a carefully chosen set of se
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