Genetics of peduncle area in durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.)

Abstract

The inheritance of peduncle area was studied from twelve generations of three inter-varietal crosses of durum wheat (Triticum durum Desf.), grown under two environments by using generation mean analysis. The results indicated that among different models, 10-parameter model was adequate in almost all the three crosses under both the environments. Additive (d) gene effect was frequently observed significant than dominance (h). Among non-allelic interactions both digenic and trigenic interactions were found significant in controlling tha inheritance of this trait in all the cases in both normal and late sown environments, however, trlgenic interactions were higher. Non-fixable gene effects were higher than fixable in all the cases, which indicated greater role of non-additive gene effects. Epistatic interactions had a greater role to cause significant and positive heterosis. Epistatic effects involving dominance in F2 generation, caused significant inbreeding depression. Reciprocal recurrent selection or the biparental mating and/or mating between selected plants from early segregating generations, could be helpful to improve the peduncle area in durum wheat.