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Inheritance of Seed Size in Sorghum, Sorghum vulgare Pers 1
Author(s) -
Voigt R. L.,
Gardner C. O.,
Webster O. J.
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/cropsci1966.0011183x000600060026x
Subject(s) - biology , sorghum , heritability , epistasis , population , agronomy , genetic gain , selection (genetic algorithm) , genetic variation , genetics , gene , demography , sociology , artificial intelligence , computer science
A large‐seeded variety of sorghum, ‘Big Seed’, and a small‐seeded variety, ‘Norghum’, their F 1 and F 2 cross generations, and the two first backcrosses were investigated to gain a better understanding of how seed size is inherited and to assess the possibility of increasing seed size through selection. A preliminary study indicated that a 300‐seed sample from each plant would give adequate precision. Population means and variances provided the basic data from which conclusions were drawn. All populations were approximately normally distributed on the original scale. Transformation to √Y‐2 caused the largeseeded parent to depart from normality but eliminated the correlation between means and variances. Gene action appeared to be almost entirely additive. Evidence for dominance or epistasis as an important contributor to seed size was lacking. A minimum of 3 or 4 genetic factors or blocks of genes, primarily additive in their effect, appear to control seed size. Heritability for seed size was estimated to be 60% indicating that considerable progress could be made in shifting mean seed size by selecting and recombining large‐seeded F 2 plants.