Inheritance and Response to Selection for Seed Weight Using the Large Seeded Landrace Oman 2 of Lucerne

Abstract

Seed weight in lucerne (Medicago sativa) may affect subsequent seedling vigour and stand establishment. A landrace of lucerne (Oman 2) from Oman has a 100-seed weight over 60% larger than the largest seeded parent used in previous studies. Crosses were made between Oman 2 and the smaller-seeded cultivar Titan 9, and segregating families were produced for genetic analysis and measurement of response to selection for seed size. There were significant differences in 100-seed weights between the parents (Oman 2 and Titan 9) and subsequent families. Regression of 100-seed weights of F2 families versus F1 parents was highly significant (p < 0.001), as well as 100-seed weights of the F3 families versus F1 parents. Analysis of diallel crossing among large and small-seeded F1 plants revealed highly significant general (GCAs) and specific (SCAs) combining abilities, as well as highly significant reciprocals. The GCA effect was much greater than the SCA effect with a GCA/SCA ratio of 15.9. This large ratio agrees with the significant regression coefficients and indicates that 100-seed weight in lucerne has high heritability. The significance of reciprocals was due to a large maternal effect in which large-seeded maternal parents produced progenies with significantly larger seeds relative to small-seeded parents. These results indicate that large-seeded plants should be used as the maternal parents in crosses and for recurrent selection to increase the seed size of progenies.