Author
Dierig, David | |
Kaufman, Benjamin | |
Coffelt, Terry | |
TOMASI, PERNELL - UNIV OF ARIZONA | |
Kaiser, Aaron |
Submitted to: Association for the Advancement of Industrial Crops Conference
Publication Type: Abstract Only Publication Acceptance Date: 2/5/1997 Publication Date: N/A Citation: N/A Interpretive Summary: Technical Abstract: This study examined the relationship of various plant growth traits to seed yields of Lesquerella fendleri. Seed yields are reduced at harvest when machine combines are unable to collect seeds of plants with prostrate growth habit. An upright plant growth habit would reduce the seed loss from combines. Plants were measured at the beginning of anthesis to find early predictors associated with upright growth habits and increased harvestable seed yield. Twenty-four breeding lines with 50 plants each, were measured between January 31 and February 4, 1997. The plants were between 101 and 129 days-old. Plants were growing in the greenhouse and then transplanted into the field on February 6, 1997. Measurements included lengths of the terminal branch and five secondary branches, two perpendicular plant diameters, a rating of branch angle, leaf shape, and stem diameter. The ratio of the terminal branch length to five secondary branches was calculated, and standard errors of the means of the five secondary branches. Plant heights were measured before harvest and we again rated plants for growth habit. Seed yields of individual plants were determined at harvest along with number of pods per cm. of branch. Correlations between the various growth measurements were calculated to detect which traits will be most important in selection and breeding for seed yield improvements. |