Studies on inheritance of achene colour and markings among confectionary germplasm of sunflower

Abstract

To study the genetic control of achene colour in sunflower, a cross was made between EC-734846 × EC734849-II having white and black kernels respectively and another cross was made between EC-734863-II and EC734846 having black striped and white achene colour. The first cross revealed typical monohybrid segregation of 3:1 for black to white seeds. The backcross with recessive parent exhibited 1:1 ratio suggesting achene colour to be single gene controlled with white seed colour controlled by recessive allele. The second cross revealed the ratios of grey seeds with white stripes, greyish black and white seeds with black stripes colour seeded plants to be 9:3:4 suggesting supplementary gene interaction among two genes controlling the seed colour and distinctive markings.