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Wheat High Temperature Tolerance During Reproductive Growth. II. Genetic Analysis of Chlorophyll Fluorescence
Author(s) -
Moffatt J. M.,
Sears R. G.,
Cox T. S.,
Paulsen G. M.
Publication year - 1990
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/cropsci1990.0011183x003000040025x
Subject(s) - biology , chlorophyll fluorescence , diallel cross , chlorophyll , horticulture , botany , hybrid
Improvement of crop tolerance to high temperature is hindered by the lack of information on genetic control of the trait. Objectives of this research were to characterize inheritance of high temperature tolerance based on chlorophyll fluorescence measurements and to estimate combining ability effects in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.). A diallel cross, including reciprocals, of six wheat genotypes was analyzed for high temperature tolerance based on chlorophyll fluorescence. Vernalized F 1 plants and parents were initially placed in controlled environment chambers at 25/20 °C day/night temperatures. One‐half of the plants were exposed to a high temperature stress of 40 °C (16‐h day)/27 °C (8‐h night) 10 d after the earliest genotypes flowered. Initial (Foe), variable (Fv), and maximum chlorophyll fluorescence (Fm) were measured on dark‐adapted flag leaves of plants 3 and 7 d after initiation of stress. Analysis revealed significant general combining ability effects and maternal effects. Significant specific reciprocal effects indicated cytoplasmic and nuclear interactions in the response to high temperature. The combination of positive specific reciprocal effects and high general combining ability effect for the female parent conferred a high level of stability for Fv in the stress environment. Recurrent selection may be an appropriate method of accumulating genes that favor high temperature tolerance based on chlorophyll fluorescence measurements in wheat.