Peroxidase activity and relative mobility at anthesis in flax genotrophs and their F2 progeny: developmental and genetic effects

Abstract

The genetic regulation of the environmentally induced heritable difference in peroxidase activity between Durrant's large (L) and small (S) flax genotrophs was examined in leaves from plants ranging in developmental age from 6 days before anthesis to 3 days after. Mean peroxidase activity was higher for S than L and intermediate for the reciprocal F2's from L × S and S × L crosses (F2L × S and F2S × L). However, activity increased with development and, since there were small but significant differences in the average developmental ages of L, S, F2L × S, and F2S × L plants, the effects of development on activity had to be taken into account in examining the F2 activity data for segregation. A regression method was used to remove developmental effects and, underlying these effects, total peroxidase activity appeared to be regulated by a single locus with two alleles and L dominance. Two other dimorphic loci, both described previously, were also examined. One regulates the presence-absence of septa hairs in the seed capsules and the other the relative mobility of anionic peroxidase isozymes. There was no phenotypic linkage between the three segregating parameters. The genetic control of activity appeared to regulate cationic rather than anionic activity. In addition, a relationship between activity and plant height indicated either that peroxidase activity is one of the factors regulating main stem elongation or that the locus regulating peroxidase activity is linked to one of the loci involved in the regulation of plant height.Key words: flax genotrophs, peroxidase, genetic control, development.