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Inbreeding Medicago sativa L. by Selfing, Sib‐mating, and Intergenerational Crossing 1
Author(s) -
Posler G. L.,
Wilsie C. P.,
Atkins R. E.
Publication year - 1972
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/cropsci1972.0011183x001200010017x
Subject(s) - selfing , inbreeding , biology , fertility , inbreeding depression , inbred strain , mating , medicago sativa , genetics , botany , population , demography , sociology , gene
Sib‐mating and intergenerational crossing were compared with selfing as methods for inbreeding alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.). Fertility (seeds/flower) relative to the noninbred parents was not greatly different for selfed and sib‐mated progenies at comparable levels of inbreeding. Fertility relative to the inbreeding coefficient usually was greatest for the intergenerational cross progenies. Differences in fertility among reciprocal crosses were small in all sib‐matings and in the intergenerational crosses when both parents were inbred. Fertility was greater when the less‐inbred line was mated as the female parent, however, and it was significantly greater when the female parent was not inbred. These results indicate that selfing for one or two generations followed by sib‐mating or intergenerational crossing to a noninbred parent, together with strong selection for fertility, may have merit as a procedure for the development of inbred lines of alfalfa.