Genetic variation amongst swede varieties and their hybrids and their response to soil fertility

Abstract

SummaryThe mean total yield and mean fresh weight of seven swede varieties and theirF1hybrids was increased primarily by nitrogen and also by phosphorus fertilizer. There was no evidence of genotype × environment interaction for characters concerned with yield except for dry-matter content where two varieties, Best-of-All and Reform, were less stable to fertility environments than the others. Heterosis was common amongstF1hybrids and this suggests their use in swede improvement: the inheritance pattern of root weight showed overdominance, shoot weight showed partial dominance and drymatter content showed additivity, with no evidence of gene interaction. Segregation for root fresh weight and dry-matter content occurred inF2populations and although an overall negative correlation was found there was evidence that progeny from certain crosses gave reasonable prospects of combining both characters.