Inheritance of Susceptibility to Nicosulfuron Herbicide in Maize

Inheritance of susceptibility in maize (Zea mays L.) to Accent (active ingredient: nicosulfuron) {2-[[[[(4,6-dimethoxy-2-pyrimidinyl)amino]carbonyl]amino]sulfonyl]-NN-dimethyl- 3-pyridinecarboxamide}, an herbicide recommended for controlling Johnsongrass {Sorghum halepense (L.) Pers.) in maize, is reported here. Inbred Mp313E was susceptible and SC212M was resistant. Their F1 was resistant, and the F2 segregated 3 resistant : 1 susceptible (P = .99), indicating that susceptibility to nicosulfuron was conditioned by a single recessive gene, nsf. An F2 ratio of 3 resistant: 1 susceptible (P = .10-.05) from a cross between L668 (susceptible) and Mo17 (resistant) inbreds confirmed the above result. Of 223 public inbreds evaluated, 198 were resistant and 25 were susceptible.