MATERNAL AND RECIPROCAL EFFECTS ON SEEDLING CHARACTERS IN ARABIDOPSIS THALIANA (L.) HEYNH

Five early growth characters were examined in six races of Arabidopsis thaliana (L.) Heynh, their reciprocal F1 hybrids (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids, using a seventh race as a paternal tester. Three of the five characters were also examined at two nutrient levels in reciprocal F1 hybrids (1972) of all seven races. Analyses of F1 and F1 by tester hybrids revealed significant maternal effects in all characters examined in F1 hybrids (1972) and in root length and plant weight of F1 (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids. Significant reciprocal effects were found for plant weight in F1 by tester hybrids and for seed weight, percentage of germination and root length in F1 (1974) and F1 by tester hybrids. The presence of significant maternal and/or reciprocal components in both F1 (1974) and F1 by tester diallels suggests that differences in maternal cytoplasm rather than maternal genotype per se were responsible for much of the variation resulting from these non-direct genetic effects.