Influence of some recessive genes on plant and inflorescence characteristics in alfalfa.

Zygmunt Staszewski

Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – IHAR, Plant Breeding and Genetics Department, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland (Poland)

Zbigniew Bodzon

Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – IHAR, Plant Breeding and Genetics Department, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland (Poland)

Lucjan Staszewski

Plant Breeding and Acclimatization Institute – IHAR, Plant Breeding and Genetics Department, Radzików, 05-870 Błonie, Poland (Poland)

Abstract

The investigations of the effects of incorporation of some recessive genes into cv. Radius of alfalfa on seed productivity were performed in greenhouse and in field experiments. BC₂ progenies were produced and compared to the standard cultivar Radius. Introduction of recessive genes lp (long raceme), tf (top flowering) and br (branched raceme) affected type of inflorescence: 1) the lp trait significantly increased floret and pod number per raceme, seed number per raceme and seed weight per sq. m., 2) the tf trait increased significantly number of raceme per stem and seed yield per sq. m., 3) the branched raceme trait governed by a single recessive gene br enhanced 6 – 10 times floret number per raceme.

Keywords:

Medicago sativa L., alfalfa, long raceme – lp, top flowering – tf, branched raceme – br, inflorescence morphology, inheritance, seed setting