Grain yield and yield components
At maturity, plants in the middle three rows of each tank (90 plants per
treatment) and plot in the field were selected for determination of
grain yield and yield components. Spike number was enumerated in each
plot and recorded prior to harvest. All spikes were manually harvested,
threshed and weighed to calculate grain yield. One thousand random
kernels from each harvested grain were weighed to calculate a
1000-kernel weight. Grain moisture was measured using a Grain Analyser
(InfratecTM 1241, Foss, Denmark). Grain yield and 1000-kernel weight
were adjusted to 13% moisture. The average number of kernels per spike
was enumerated from 30 spikes.
Grain size parameters, including 1000 kernel weight, grain length, width
and thickness were measured using SeedCount SC5000 (Next Instruments,
Condell Park, NSW, Australia) and a digital balance.