Peer review

The niacin content of developing maize endosperms of two mutant genotypes brittle-1 (bt1) and brittle-2 (bt2), and their normal counterparts was determined to at intervals between 14 and 46 days after pollination. From mid-development on, niacin was higher in both bt1 and bt2 than in the normal endosperms. The differences were large on a "per-endosperm" basis and usually larger on a weight basis. The behavior of niacin in the two brittle genotypes was similar to that which has been found for sugary (su1) maize endosperms. Mature endosperms homozygous for su1 and bt1 together were compared with related ones of normal, bt1, and su1. On a per-endosperm basis the su1 bt1 type was no higher in niacin than was su1 from the same ear, but on a weight basis it was twice as high.

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