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 Casady, A. J. Articles by Ross, W. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Casady, A. J. Articles by Ross, W. M. Agricola Articles by Casady, A. J. Articles by Ross, W. M.

Effect of the Twin-seeded Character on Sorghum Performance¹

The sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] sessile spikelet normally contains two flowers. Usually, only the upper develops into a seed, but the lower also develops into a seed in some cultivars, resulting in twin seededness. A study of the influence of the twin-seeded character on sorghum performance was made by use of isogenic lines. Isogenic single- and twin-seeded A- and B-lines of the sorghum cultivars ‘Combine Kafir-60’ and ‘Redlan’ were developed by backcrossing. The twin-seeded allele (Ts) caused sterility in some instances, especially in A-lines. Attempts to develop twin-seeded lines of ‘KS 24’ resulted in much sterility and multiple seededness of up to five seeds per spikelet.

Comparisons were made of isogenic single- and twinseeded counterparts of the sorghum hybrids ‘KS652’, ‘RS610’, ‘RS702’, ‘RS650’, 62MH248, and 55MH19 at Manhattan, Kans. and Mead, Neb. The percentage of spikelets with twin seed was influenced by genotype and environment. Twin seededness had no effect on days to 50% bloom, plant height, and panicles per plant. There was little evidence that twin seededness affected test weight, although it decreased seed weight and the number of seed-bearing spikelets per panicle while increasing the number of seeds per panicle. Grain yields of the single- and twin-seeded counterparts of RS610 and RS702 did not differ significantly, but twin-seeded counterparts of the remaining hybrids yielded significantly less grain than the single-seeded counterparts.

Key Words: Multiple seed • Grain yield • Yield components • Inheritance • Sterility • Isogenic lines • Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench

² Research agronomist, ARS/USDA, Dep. of Agronomy, Kansas State Univ., Manhattan, KS 66506, and research geneticist, ARS/USDA, Dep. of Agronomy, Univ. of Nebraska, Lincoln, NE 68583, respectively.

Received for publication August 18, 1976.