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Diallel Analysis of Resistance to Air Pollutants in Alfalfa 1
Author(s) -
Campbell T. A.,
Devine T. E.,
Howell R. K.
Publication year - 1977
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/cropsci1977.0011183x001700040049x
Subject(s) - diallel cross , biology , pollutant , medicago sativa , greenhouse , air pollutants , horticulture , agronomy , air pollution , ecology , hybrid
The inheritance of resistance to air pollutants in alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.) was studied in two diallels in greenhouses at Beltsville, Md. Progenies were exposed to polluted ambient air that was cooled and moistened by a wet‐pad cooling system, since such an environment appears to enhance pollution damage. Oxidants were often present at levels known to cause foliar damage in alfalfa. Other pollutants were not monitored. General combining ability constituted most of the genotypic variation indicating that resistant populations might be developed using simple recurrent selection, or recurrent full‐sib family selection. Nonadditive genetic variation may be sufficient so that progress might also be made using hybridization. Maternal and reciprocal effects were relatively unimportant.