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Published in Crop Sci 12:500-502 (1972)
© 1972 Crop Science Society of America
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Combining Ability in Alfalfa Hybrids Made with Cytoplasmic Male Sterility1

M. W. Pedersen and R. R. Jill, Jr.2

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, {sigma}2M, females, {sigma}2F, and their interactions, {sigma}2MF, were estimated for yield during two growing seasons and for pollen production in one season.

Variance components, {sigma}2F and {sigma}2MF, were more important than {sigma}2M for yield in the year of establishment. Components, {sigma}2M and {sigma}2F, were approximately equal, and {sigma}2MF was unimportant for yield in the second growing season. The only important component of variance for pollen production was {sigma}2M. The greater importance of {sigma}2F and {sigma}2MF in the year of establishment was attributed to a correlation between seed weight and yield. The small value of {sigma}2MF 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.

Key Words: Medicago sativa L. • Heterosis • Hybrid vigor

1 Joint Contribution No. 1237 of the Utah Agricultural Experiment Station and the Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, USDA, Logan, Utah 84321, and No. 245 of the US Regional Pasture Research Laboratory, PSRD, USDA, University Park, Pa. 16802

2 Research Agronomists, PSRD, ARS, USDA, Logan, Utah and University Park, Pa., respectively.

Received for publication January 14, 1972.




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