Inheritance of a Novel Heterozygous Peanut Mutant, 5-Small Leaflet

Abstract

ABSTRACT An unusual 5-Small Leaflet mutant plant was found within the ‘Georgia Green' runner-type peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivar. Subsequent selfing has not established a true-breeding 5-Small Leaflet genotype. It continues to segregate normal and 5-Small Leaflet plants but with a reduced number of normal leaf plants upon selection for 5-Small Leaflet phenotypes after several self-generations. F1, F2, F3, and F4 data suggests that the 5-Small Leaflet trait is dominant or possibly pseudo-dominant. Likewise, the 5-Small Leaflet mutant can only be used as a pollen parent in crosses, and it has approximately a 1:1 ratio of elongated to normal stigmas, respectively, on individual plants. This is an example of a novel heterozygous peanut mutant plant found within the cultivated allotetraploid peanut.