INHERITANCE OF FLOUR PROTEIN CONTENT IN A SELKIRK X GABO CROSS

Abstract

T h e inheritance of grain protein content has been \videly studied with the objective of improving the balcing characteristics of n ~ h e a t flour. Many of the earlier studies indicated that thc environmental influence was fully as important as genetic factors in dctcrn~ining protein content (Stuber et al., 1962). Recently, Davis et a/. (1961) reported protein heritability estimates which varied f rom 54 to 69% in crosses between four soft winter varieties. For crosses between soft and hard winter varieties, Haunold et al. (1962) and Stuber et al. (1962) obtained heritability values of 56% and 83%, respectively. In the above studies the F, protein distributions resembled normal distributions and there was no evidence of a preponderance of dominant genes fo r either high o r low grain protein. Based on the regression of F, and F, on line values, Lebsoclc et al. (1961) calculated heritabilities of 37% and 70/,, respectively, for grain protein content in a l ~ a r d spring wheat cross. T h e reason for the widely different heritabilities was attributed to the influence of environment on protein content. I n their experiment the F, protein mean approached that of the low protein parent n~h i l e the F, line values werc distributed nornlally over the range represented by the parents. N o reports o n the inheritance of the protein content in wheat flour have been found in the literature. T h e purpose of the present investigation was to study the inheritance of flour protein content in a cross between two hard spring wheat varieties. Single plant populations of the PI, P,, F,, Fc, F3, BCl, and BC, generations nrcre used to estimate heritability, number of genes, and the genetic advance possiblc by selection. Intergeneration relations and heritability were also calculated fro111 a series of F:,, F.,, and F, families obtained f rom the Sellcirlc x Gabo cross.