Within-cultivar differences in relative leaf growth rates at low temperature of onion seedlings are not heritable |
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Authors: | J. L. BREWSTER HEATHER A. BUTLER |
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Affiliation: | National Vegetable Research Station, Wellesbourne, Warwick CV35 9EF |
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Abstract: | Onion seedlings of two open-pollinated cultivars were grown either at a constant 10°C or outdoors in spring and were selected for high, medium or low relative leaf growth rate, RL. Flowering plants within each RL group were crossed using controlled pollination for the 10°C selections and as a fly-pollinated polycross for the outdoor selections. The pollen donors of the 10°C selections were also selfed. Despite the wide variation of RL in the parent populations, there was no indication of heritability of RL. Mean RL was significantly lower for the progeny from self-rather than cross-pollinations as was initial leaf area and rate of seedling emergence. |
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