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Interaction of Plant Spacing and Combining Ability in an Eight‐Clone Diallel of Medicago sativa L. 1
Author(s) -
Evans Kenneth H.,
Davis R. L.,
Nyquist W. E.
Publication year - 1966
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1966.0011183x000600050018x
Subject(s) - diallel cross , biology , crown (dentistry) , leafhopper , horticulture , medicago sativa , botany , mathematics , agronomy , medicine , dentistry , hybrid , hemiptera
The diallel progenies of 8 alfalfa clones were grown in rows 1 and 3 feet apart and spaced 2, 8, and 24 inches within rows. Yield, plant width, plant height, crown width, and vigor were measured in each of 2 years; leafhopper yellowing and leafstem ratio were measured in 1 year. The general combining ability, specific combining ability, maternal, reciprocal, and their interaction effects with spacings and years were studied. General and specific combining abilities were significant for all characters measured. Maternal effects for some characters were significant, while reciprocal effects were generally nonsignificant. General combining ability effects and specific combining ability effects were consistent across spacing‐year treatments. Maternal effects were less consistent across treatments, yet were positively correlated between treatments. Since the number of plants per linear foot of row in the 2‐inch spacing within rows 1 foot apart was very close to the number of plants in a 2‐year‐old broadcast seeding, the data suggested that progenies could be evaluated in spaced plantings with small quantities of seed.