ABSTRACT
Three series of near-isogenic wheat lines differing in dwarfing alleles, in the varietal backgrounds of 'Maris Huntsman', 'Maris Widgeon' and 'Bersee', and the F2 grain on intravarietal F1 hybrids, produced with a chemical hybridising agent, were examined for grain size and protein content. Individual F2 grains from Rht1/rht, Rht2/rht and Rht3/rht F1 spikes were classified for Rht genotype by assaying embryo half grains in a gibberellic acid seedling response test, while the remaining half was used for protein determination. Mean grain weight and protein percentage were lower in all homozygous isogenic lines and the Rht/rht F1 hybrids than in the respective tall lines, in an allele dose-dependent manner. In all the hybrids, the Rht genotype of individual F2 grains, which segregated within the spikes of F1 plants, had no significant effects on grain weight or protein. Consequently, the pleiotropic effects of the Rht alleles on these yield and quality components must be attributed to their presence in maternal plant tissues rather than in the endosperm or embryo tissues of individual grains.
ABSTRACT
Near-isogenic wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) lines differing in height-reducing (Rht) alleles were used to investigate the effects of temperature on endogenous gibberellin (GA) levels and seedling growth response to applied GA(3). Sheath and lamina lengths of the first leaf were measured in GA treated and control seedlings, grown at 11, 18, and 25 degrees C, of six Rht genotypes in each of two varietal backgrounds, cv Maris Huntsman and cv April Bearded. Endogenous GA(1) levels in the leaf extension zone of untreated seedlings were determined by gas chromatography-mass spectrometry with a deuterated internal standard in the six Maris Huntsman Rht lines grown at 10 and 25 degrees C. Higher temperature increased leaf length considerably in the tall genotype, less so in the Rht1 and Rht2 genotypes, and had no consistent effect on the Rht1+2, Rht3 and Rht2+3 genotypes. In all genotypes, endogenous GA(1) was higher at 25 degrees C than at 10 degrees C. At 10 degrees C the endogenous GA(1) was at a similar level in all the genotypes (except Rht2+3). At 25 degrees C it increased 1.6-fold in the tall genotype, 3-fold in Rht1 and Rht2, 6-fold in Rht3, and 9-fold in Rht1+2. Likewise, the genotypic differences in leaf length were very conspicuous at 25 degrees C, but were only slight and often unsignificant at 11 degrees C. The response of leaf length to applied GA(3) in the Rht1, Rht2, and Rht1+2 genotypes increased significantly with lowering of temperature. These results suggest the possibility that the temperature effect on leaf elongation is mediated through its effect on the level of endogenous GA(1) and that leaf elongation response to endogenous or applied GAs is restricted by the upper limits set by the different Rht alleles.
ABSTRACT
The study was carried out in the first year on samples of random F5 lines, uniform in height and in heading date, of three crosses between semi dwarf spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.), differing in grain weight and in their Rht gene. In the second year only the progenies of the early heading F5 lines were studied. All the material was grown in the absence of lodging. The culm-length genotypes of the different lines were identified by test crosses and by a seedling GA response test. No differences in grain weight were found between the two semi dwarf genotypes (Rht 1Rht1 rht 2rht2 and rht 1rht1 Rht 2Rht2). The tall genotype (rht 1rht1 rht 2rht2) was significantly higher in grain weight than the two semi dwarf genotyes and the grain weight of these genotypes exceeded markedly the grain weight of the dwarf genotype (Rht 1Rht1 Rht 2Rht2). These genotypic effects were independent of differences in plant height, heading date or number of grains per spike.
ABSTRACT
Reciprocal crosses were made between semi dwarf spring wheat cultivars (Triticum aestivum L.) differing in grain weight. The weights of the F1 grains (on maternal spikes), from intact as well as from defoliated plants, and those of the F2 grains (on f1 spikes), were examined. Grain weight was controlled primarily by the genotype of the maternal tissues (pericarp, testa or other floret or spikelet organs, including the vascular system), with complete dominance of heaviness. No indications suggesting maternal inheritance were obtained. The frequency distribution of the weights of the F2 grains indicated the presence of genotypic effects exerted by the endosperm or embryo. The embryo or endosperm factors for heaviness also seemed to be dominant.
ABSTRACT
Wheat mutants with increased seedling resistance to terbutryn (2-tertbutylamino-4-ethylamino-6-methylthio-s-triazine) and tomato mutants with increased resistance to diphenamid (N,N-dimethyl-2,2-diphenylacetamide) were selected by the experimenters out of populations grown from seeds treated with ethyl methanesulfonate. Induced mutations may thus provide a tool for breeding crop cultivars with increased resistance to certain herbicides.
