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Hybrid Vigor in Forage Yields of Crosses between Pearl Millet Inbreds and their Mutants 1
Author(s) -
Burton G. W.,
Hanna W. W.,
Powell J. B.
Publication year - 1980
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/cropsci1980.0011183x002000060016x
Subject(s) - pennisetum , forage , hybrid , biology , agronomy , mutant , pearl , genetics , gene , philosophy , theology
The object of this research was to ascertain if forage yields of F 1 hybrids between pearl millet inbreds and their simply inherited mutants will exhibit hybrid vigor. F 1 hybrids between normal parents and 102 induced recessive mutants in pearl millet [ Pennisetum americanum (L.) Leeke] inbreds ‘Tift 13’ (T13), ‘Tift 18’ (T18), ‘Tift 23’ (T23), and ‘Tift 239’ (T239) and two dominant mutants transferred with four backcrosses to T13, T18, and T23 were compared with their normal parents in precise forage yield trials on a Fuquay loamy sand for 1 to 5 years to detect evidence of hybrid vigor. Three recessive mutants, T13 orange node, T18 early, and T23 stubby head, in F 1 hybrids were compared with their normal parents for 5, 5 and 2 years, respectively. They increased forage yields over those of their parents 34.2, 38.2, and 21.7%, respectively. In similar F 1 hybrid tests, a dominant sunred mutant significantly reduced forage yield in T23 for 4 years and a dominant purple mutant increased forage yield in T13: and reduced it in T23 for 5 years. Ninety‐nine other iinduced recessive mutants evaluated in similar tests for 1 to 4 years failed to increase forage yields over those of their normal parent. Thirty‐nine of these in Fx hybrids reduced forage yields in 1‐year trials and 25 reduced yields in 2‐year trials. Simply inherited mutants capable o:E giving heterotic forage yields in pearl millet can occur at low frequency but intermating unrelated inbreds is a more efficient method of producing high yielding hybrids.