Duplicated Alleles Research Articles

Inheritance of Inflorescences in Main Stem Leaf Axils in Arachis hypogaea L.1

Fourteen F2 progenies of reciprocal crosses between peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cultivars ‘Argentine’ and ‘Early Runner’ were classified at full flowering for type of branch, vegetative or reproductive, in the leaf axils of the main stem axis. Chi‐squares for the seven progenies in each reciprocal, and the sum, pooled, and homogeneity chi‐square for both crosses, separately and combined, gave close fits to a phenotypic ratio of 225 plants with vegetative branches: 3l plants with reproductive branches on the main stem. The results indicate that flowering response is controlled by two sets of duplicate loci interacting with epistasis between loci. Gene symbols J1, J2, K1, and K2 are proposed to designate the sets of duplicate alleles. Either J1 or J2 and K1 or K2 interact to produce vegetative branches in main stem leaf axils. The implications of this genetic model are discussed with respect to the breeding development of new and hitherto unknown peanut types.