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Genetic and Physiological Analysis of an Irradiated Bloomless Mutant (Epicuticular Wax Mutant) of Sorghum

^a USDA-ARS, Plant Stress & Germplasm Development Unit, Cropping Systems Research Laboratory, 3810 4th St., Lubbock, TX 79415
^b contributed equally to this work. Inquiries about seeds and the population used in this study should be addressed to Dr. C.D. Franks. Mention of trade name does not constitute endorsement of the product to the exclusion of similar products by the USDA

^* Corresponding author (gburow{at}lbk.ars.usda.gov).

An irradiation-induced bloomless mutant of sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench.], KFS2021, which visually exhibits an absence of white fluffy epicuticular wax in leaf and sheath, was characterized using a combination of genetic and physiological approaches. Study of the phenotypic segregation for the bloomless trait in F₂ and F_2:3 populations from a cross between KFS2021 and BTx623 (a cultivar with bloom showing profuse deposition of white epicuticular wax) suggests that bloomless is controlled by a single nuclear recessive gene. The bloomless parent (KFS2021) and F₂ individuals had lower frequency of guttation, leakier epidermal layer (based on percentage of chlorophyll leaching), and higher rate of seedling water loss than the BTx623 and F₂ bloom individuals. Bloomless F₂ individuals showed 3- to 6-fold higher nighttime transpiration rates relative to F₂ bloom individuals based on nighttime conductance. Correlation analysis showed significant negative associations between leaf epicuticular wax load with epidermal permeability and nighttime conductance, which indicate the important role of epicuticular wax in these traits. These results suggest that epicuticular wax may enhance water use efficiency of sorghum by regulating nighttime water loss.

Abbreviations: DW, dry weight • EW, epicuticular wax • EWL, epicuticular wax load • FW, initial fresh weight • RWC, relative water content • TW, turgid weight

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Received for publication March 2, 2007.

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				P. J. Peters, M. A. Jenks, P. J. Rich, J. D. Axtell, and G. Ejeta Mutagenesis, Selection, and Allelic Analysis of Epicuticular Wax Mutants in Sorghum Crop Sci., June 26, 2009; 49(4): 1250 - 1258. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]