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Effect of Culm Breakage on Seed Set in Seven Paspalum Species and an Intraspecific Hybrid 1
Author(s) -
Bennett Hugh W.,
Burson Byron L.
Publication year - 1971
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/cropsci1971.0011183x001100020018x
Subject(s) - biology , inflorescence , apomixis , intraspecific competition , paspalum , anthesis , breakage , botany , paspalum notatum , agronomy , horticulture , cultivar , ploidy , zoology , biochemistry , materials science , composite material , gene
The specific effect of culm breakage upon seed set was measured in (a) seven Paspalum species; (b) the intraspecific hybrid between the sexual and apomictic P. dilatatum biotypes; and (c) segregates from this hybrid through the F 0 generation. Sixteen inflorescences of each were individually bagged at various stages of anthesis. Half of these were broken when bagged and half kept upright. Further breakage was prevented by supporting all culms until harvest. All the florets produced on each inflorescence were used to determine seed set. Significant differences in seed set when bagged at various stages of anthesis (before bloom 8.6%, one‐half bloom 20.9%, and complete bloom 26.8%) were found for all plants except the segregating generations from the intraspecific hybrid. Culm breakage caused a highly significant reduction in seed set in P. guenoarum (30.0‐10.8%), nicorae (26.1‐10.7%), P. notatum (23.9‐4.3%), sexual dilatatum (49.6.20.0%) and a significant reduction in urvillei (30.3‐18.1%) and apomictic P. dilatatum (14.8‐8.2%). There was no significant reduction due to culm breakage in the short‐stemmed and small‐panicled P. pumilum . This study indicates the value of practices to reduce culm breakage in seed production or in a breeding program with Paspalum species.