Abstract
Jatropha curcas L. (jatropha) is an important undomesticated perennial plant with high potential for sustainable production of food and fuel in tropical and subtropical regions. However, jatropha has no breeding history and genetic improvement of this novel crop is at an early stage. Therefore, it is of utmost importance to understand the significance of parental and heterotic effects that could be exploited in hybrid combinations. The main goal of this study was to assess the parental and heterotic effects at an early plant age in seedling traits. Our objectives were to (i) examine the variation of traits among genotypes, between genetic pools and fecundation types, (ii) investigate the parental and heterotic effects on these traits, and (iii) discuss the exploitation of parental and heterotic effects in jatropha breeding programs. Genotypes from two genetic pools were used to perform intra- and interpool crosses. Data on germination time, plant height, area of cotyledon and primary leaf, chlorophyll content of primary leaf, number of leaves, and shoot dry mass were investigated. Maternal and paternal effects affected the expression of traits at the seedling stage in jatropha. The level of influence depended on the trait and the parents under consideration. Heterotic effects were present for all seedling traits. The largest heterotic effect was found in an interpool cross.
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