Abstract
Three greenhouse tests to determine the reactions of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam.) breeding lines and their respective open-pollinated offspring to 2 species of root-knot nematodes were conducted. Resistances occurred in high frequency to both the southern root knot nematode (Meloidogyne incognita (Kofoid & White) Chitwood) and the Javanese (tropical) root knot nematode (M. javanica (Treub) Chitwood). Reaction to M. incognita was studied in 2 consecutive years with different sets of parental lines using an egg mass index. Estimated heritability (h2) in 1976 was 0.75 ± 0.23 and in 1977 was 0.57 ± 0.37. Three indices of reaction to M. javanica and respective h2 estimates were: Egg mass index, 0.69 ± 0.18; galling index, 0.78 ± 0.19; and necrosis index, 0.72 ± 0.20. Resistances to the 2 species were not correlated, indicating independent inheritance. Development of cultivars with high levels of resistance to each or to both of the above diseases is possible.
Genetic experiments were initiated to assess the potential for combining large seed size from PI 285611, a large-fruited, hullless seeded accession, with small fruit size from a hullless seeded breeding line (NH29-13-5-4). An F2 population and parental line were field-grown during Summer 1993 to determine inheritance and heritability of large seed size and the relation between fruit and seed size. Seed size variables of weight, width, length, and thickness were regressed against fruit weight. There was a moderate, positive correlation between large fruit and seed length (R2 = 0.46). However, seed thickness, a major determinant of seed weight, was not correlated with fruit size. In an F2 population of ≈450 plants, there was a small number of plant selections with fruit under 1.5 kg and seed size approaching that of PI 285611.
Narrow-sense heritability and among-family and within-family variance components were estimated for antioxidant activity (AA), total phenolic content (TPH), and anthocyanin content (ACY) in blueberry (Vaccinium L. sp.) fruit. AA, TPH, and ACY were determined in the parents and in 10 offspring from each of 20 random crosses for each of 2 years at Becker, Minn. Offspring-midparent regression analysis provided combined-year heritability estimates of 0.43 ± 0.09 (P ≤ 0.0001) for AA, 0.46 ± 0.11 (P ≤ 0.0001) for TPH, and 0.56 ± 0.10 (P ≤ 0.0001) for ACY. Analyses of variance delineated variation among and within families for AA, TPH, and ACY (P ≤ 0.001). Year-to-year variation in the means for all offspring genotypes was not significant for AA or TPH, but there were changes in rank between years for families and for offspring within families for these traits. Year-to-year variation in the mean for all offspring genotypes was significant for ACY, but rank changes were observed only among offspring within families, not among families. In total, 18 of 200 offspring from 7 of the 20 crosses were transgressive segregants for AA, exceeding the higher parent of the cross by at least two sds. Estimates of variance components showed that variation among families accounted for 24% to 27% of total variance for the three traits. However, variation within families was greater than that among families, accounting for 38% to 56% of total variance for the three traits. These results suggest that increasing antioxidant activity in blueberry through breeding is feasible, and that the breeding strategies utilized should exploit the large within-family variation that exists.
Abstract
Common blight in beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) incited by Xanthomonas campestris pv. phaseoli (Smith) Dye (X c p) reduces crop yield and seed quality. The objective of this experiment was to study heritability and phenotypic correlations of the disease reaction to various strains of X c p at several plant developmental stages in specific bean crosses using diverse methods of inoculation. Leaf and pod disease reactions to strains of X c p were inherited quantitatively and narrow-sense heritability estimates were low in the following crosses between Phaseolus vulgaris cultivars/lines: Bac-6 (moderately resistant = MR) × NE-EP1 (MR); Bat-862 (MR) × ‘Pompadour Checa’ (susceptible = S); ‘Pompadour Checa’ (S) × Bac-6 (MR); ‘Venezuela 44’ (S) × Bat-862 (MR). Pod disease reaction was not correlated with leaf disease reaction at any growth stage. Low or nonsignificant phenotypic correlations were detected between disease reactions of leaves at the seedling and flowering stages with the several methods of inoculation. Intermediate phenotypic correlations were found for disease reactions with three methods of inoculation at the seedling stage, but only with two methods in the flowering stage. Negative or nonsignificant phenotypic correlations were observed between leaf disease reaction and number of days to first flower. Different duplicate recessive genes were found to control two foliar abnormality traits: crippled growth and variegated leaves. No plants with a combination of both traits were observed. An association was found between crippled growth and a high level of resistance to strain V3S8 of X c p in the cross Bat-862 × ‘Pompadour Checa’.
major genetic factors and to be highly heritable ( Svejda, 1979 ). As a result, large gains from selection can be made when hybridizing hardy parental genotypes ( Zlesak, 2007 ). A recent QTL mapping study suggested the potential existence of a major QTL
Pericarp thickness in maize (Zea mays L.) was analyzed by generation mean analysis for backcross and F2 populations from eight hybrids, derived from two thin-pericarped sweet corn inbreds—AA8 and 677a (55 and 51 μm)—crossed with four field corn inbreds—B37, B68, H55, and Hi26 (range 82-132 μm). Average heterosis was −12.5% and segregating progeny distributions were skewed toward those of thin-pericarped parents. Narrow-sense heritability was high, averaging 55.2%, and the number of effective factors was low, ranging from 1.4 to 5.9 and averaging 3.3. Epistatic effects were as large as additive or dominance effects in many crosses, urging caution in applying models that exclude gene interactions to determine variance components and heritabilities. The mode of action in reducing pericarp thickness appeared to differ among the two thin parents, with AA8 affecting the differential thickening of germinal vs. abgerminal walls, and 677a reducing the number of pericarp cell layers. All genetic parameters suggested that genetic progress in backcross conversions to thin pericarp in sweet corn breeding would be rapid irrespective of the pericarp thickness of exotic parents.
Height and caliper (age 3 years), and flower count (age 3.5 years) were evaluated for 36 open-pollinated families of Magnolia grandiflora L. outplanted in two genetic tests in Bexar County, Texas. Significant family differences existed for height, caliper, number of flowers per tree, and percent of trees flowering in both tests. Family heritability estimates for all traits ranged from 0.72 to 0.92. Coefficients of genetic prediction (CGP) between growth and flowering characteristics were small but positive; CGP between height and percent of trees flowering was 0.28 and 0.24 in the two tests. Early growth rate and flowering appeared to be under strong genetic control; thus, improvement through selection would be efficient. However, both traits should be evaluated since the genetic relationship between them was weak.
Abstract
Red raspberry (Rubus idaeus L.) clones and seedlings were evaluated in infested field soils for resistance to a root rot. Disease symptoms were root necrosis and wilting of first and second year canes. Of 41 clones examined ‘Latham’, ‘Newburgh’, ‘Durham’, ‘Chief’ and ‘WSU 458’ were the most resistant. ‘Lloyd George’ and its derivatives were generally the most susceptible. Evaluation of seedlings from 25 crosses showed that ‘Latham’ and ‘Newburgh’ produced the highest percentage of resistant seedlings and the seedlings with the highest level of resistance; ‘Glen Clova’ and ‘Meeker’ produced the fewest seedlings with resistance. Heritability estimates based on parent/offspring regression were 0.85 for the percentage of seedlings infected and 0.92 for the mean seedling injury rating.
Abstract
A 6-parent diallel was used to study combining ability and type of gene action contributing to resistance in tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) to anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum dematium (Pers. ex Fr.). The 6 parents, one set of F1, hybrids, and 5 selected reciprocal crosses were grown at 2 locations. Ripe fruit were harvested, puncture-inoculated with the pathogen, and subsequently evaluated for resultant lesion diameter. No reciprocal effects were found at either location for the 5 crosses studied. The analysis of variance for parent and F1 hybrid performance revealed a genotype × location interaction. Combining ability analysis based on the F1 hybrids alone indicated a significant general combining ability (GCA) effect. The specific combining ability (SCA) and GCA × location interaction mean squares were smaller than the GCA value but were still significant. Differential performance over locations of the hybrids of one line was primarily responsible for the GCA × location interaction. Analysis of variance and covariance of parental arrays indicated partial dominance in the direction of susceptibility. Narrow sense heritability for the trait was 70% over both locations.
Abstract
Five cycles of phenotypic recurrent selection for total dissolved solids and sugar type (reducing vs. nonreducing) were performed on four carrot (Daucus carota L.) populations of common background. The populations contained high or low percentage of total dissolved solids (HTDS and LTDS, respectively) with high or low levels of reducing sugar (HRS and LRS, respectively). Effective selection for total dissolved solids (TDS) and sugar type was indicated by significant gains over five cycles of selection. TDS decreased in LTDS/HRS and LTDS/LRS populations by 21.9% and 15.9%, respectively. Corresponding increases of 22.4% and 28.2% were observed in HTDS/HRS and HTDS/LRS populations. Mean reducing sugar levels in HRS roots after five cycles of selection were limited to 2.0% of root fresh weight; sucrose was the primary storage carbohydrate. Reducing sugars were not detected in LRS roots. Mean total sugar levels in the HTDS and LTDS populations were 7.1% and 3.1% of root fresh weight, respectively. Realized heritability estimates ranged from 0.40 to 0.45 for the four populations. The onset of flowering was markedly delayed in plants of the two HTDS populations after five cycles of selection.