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Combining Ability in Alfalfa Hybrids Made with Cytoplasmic Male Sterility 1
Author(s) -
Pedersen M. W.,
Hill R. R.
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/cropsci1972.0011183x001200040034x
Subject(s) - biology , pollen , hybrid , forage , cytoplasmic male sterility , sterility , growing season , yield (engineering) , medicago sativa , agronomy , botany , horticulture , materials science , metallurgy
Seventy alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) hybrids were produced by crossing l0 cytoplasmic male‐sterile parents with 7 untested male parents. Variance components due to males, σ 2 M , females, σ 2 F , and their interactions, σ 2 MF , were estimated for yield during two growing seasons and for pollen production in one season. Variance components, σ 2 F and σ 2 MF , were more important than σ 2 M for yield in the year of establishment. Components, σ 2 M and σ 2 F , were approximately equal, and σ 2 MF was unimportant for yield in the second growing season. The only important component of variance for pollen production was σ 2 M . The greater importance of σ 2 F and σ 2 MF in the year of establishment was attributed to a correlation between seed weight and yield. The small value of σ 2 MF after the year of establishment indicated that parents could be selected for general combining ability without testing numerous specific combinations. Correlations between pollen production and forage yield were very small and nonsignificant, indicating that male fertility would not have to be restored in alfalfa hybrids used for forage production.