HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Redden, R. J. Articles by Jensen, N. F. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Redden, R. J. Articles by Jensen, N. F. Agricola Articles by Redden, R. J. Articles by Jensen, N. F.

Mass Selection and Mating Systems in Cereals¹

Responses to two cycles of mass selection under two mating systems were compared in the F₂ and F₃ generations of one cross each of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). The number of green tillers prior to head emergence was used as the critical character. Additional characters, time from sowing to flowering and fertility number at maturity, were measured also in the evaluation of selection response for green tillers. The mean response for increased tillring, evaluated at two sites against unselected control generations, was higher in the wheat at 10.3%cycle than in the barley at 6.3%/cycle. Broad sense hentability estimates for tillering were between 10 and 25% for each cross

In both species the selection responses were greater in the hybrid than in the selfed selection series. The hybrid series was obtained by random mating among the selections in each cycle. The respective responses in barley realized over two selection cycles, were 17.1% with out. breeding and 8.7% with inbreeding at site 1, and 13.9% with outbreeding and 10.3% with inbreeding at site 2. In wheat at site 1, the responses were 22.6% with out. breeding and 18.5% with inbreeding. (Site 2 of the wheat had poor establishment.) Since the same F₂ selection generated the hybrid and selfed series, the differences in response were attributed to the second cycle only. Asso. ciated selection responses for time to flowering and tiller number at maturity were detected only in the wheat.

The results showed that mass selection with concurrent random mating could be a useful breeding stratcgy in self-pollinated crops.

Key Words: Mass selection • Mating systems • Gene action • Diallel • Dominance • Gene pool • Small grain cereals • Tiller number

² Former Graduate Assistant and Professor, respectively, Plant Breeding and Biometry Department, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14850.

Received for publication July 24, 1972.