Gene Action for Yield Components and Plant Height in a Spring Wheat Cross1

Abstract

Means and variances for the parental, F1 F2 and single backcross generations were used to analyze quantitative genetic variation in the wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cross ‘Henry’ × ‘Lemhi 53’'. In both 1967 and 1968, epistatic effects were non‐significant in the inheritance of number of spike lets and kernel weight. Additive gene action had the greatest effect on number of spikelets; both additive and dominance types of gene action influenced kernel weight. In 1967, highly significant epistatic effects were detected in the inheritance of number of heads, yield and plant height. In 1968, epistatic effects were nonsignificant for these traits. When epistatic effects were significant, the metrical value of the F1 markedly exceeded the value of the higher parent.