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Relationships Among Components of Seed Yield in Blue Grama 1
Author(s) -
Wilson A. M.,
Cuany R. L.,
Fraser J. G.,
Oaks W. R.
Publication year - 1981
Publication title -
agronomy journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.752
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1435-0645
pISSN - 0002-1962
DOI - 10.2134/agronj1981.00021962007300060036x
Subject(s) - caryopsis , agronomy , yield (engineering) , biology , poaceae , mathematics , physics , thermodynamics
High caryopsis weight in forage plants generally increases seedling emergence, vigor, and establishment. Breeding for improved caryopsis weight in blue grama [ Bouteloua gracilis (H.B.K.) Lag. ex Steud.] can be successful only if variations in average caryopsis weight of a plant are not simply a result of variations in the components of caryopsis yield. The objectives of this study were to determine the effects of spikes/culm, spikelets/spike, and fertility on caryopsis weight and the effects of spikes/culm, spikelets/spike, fertility, and caryopsis weight on yield/culm. In a 1,080−plant, spaced field nursery, average caryopsis weight varied among plants from 25 to 70 mg/100. Multiple regression and path analysis indicated that spikes/culm, spikelets/spike, and fertility accounted for only 5% of the variation in caryopsis weight. These components of yield, with caryopsis weight, accounted for 86% of the variation in caryopsis yield/culm. In a polycross nursery of 60 plants selected from the previous nursery primarily for high caryopsis weight, blue grama clones differed significantly in all of the components of caryopsis yield/culm. Blocks in the polycross nursery differed significantly in all components of yield/culm except average caryopsis weight of a plant. These results suggest that it would be possible to select blue grama plants for both high caryopsis weight and high seed yields.