Inheritance of plant height, spike length and number of spikelets per spike in Durum wheat

Abstract

Using the line x tester analysis we studied the combining ability and gene effects of plant height, spike length and number of spikelets per spike in durum wheat. The results of the study show that non-additive genes play more important role than additive genes in the inheritance of plant height, number of spikelets per spike in both years and in inheritance of spike length only in the first year of research. Variety Belfugito, the best general combiner for plant height and number of spikelets per spike, combined well in two best hybrids: Belfugito x Alifen and Belfugito x Yavaros 79, and these hybrids may be used in wheat breeding programs. In the majority of the cases, good specific combining ability (SCA) effects were associated with crosses of two genetically divergent parents having at least one parent as a good general combiner.