ARS | Publication request: INHERITANCE OF BLACK-POD COLOR IN PEANUT

Submitted to: Journal of Heredity
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: July 29, 1996
Publication Date: N/A

Interpretive Summary: A unique peanut germplasm was collected from the Amazonian area of northern Bolivia in 1989-90. This germplasm has unique properties because the outer pod turns black with maturity. Studies by the authors prove that a single dominant gene controls the black-pod trait and cross-references pod darkening with the pod maturity profile classes that growers use to determine the optimum time to harvest. This work is significant because the black-pod gene can be transferred to commercial cultivars, thus providing a commercial variety that turns black with maturity. This would allow growers to readilty see their crop maturity and judge the best time to harvest. More importantly, it would allow pods to be maturity-sorted electronically prior to shelling, thus improving quality within commercial peanut grades. Improving compositional quality within commercial peanut grades is a recognized industry need that when accomplished will provide a mmore flavorful, wholesome product to Amercian consumers.

Technical Abstract: A rare Black-Pod trait was recently found in the cultivated peanut (Arachis hypogaea L. subsp. fastigiata var. fastigiata). Morphological pod development revealed that the outer pod layer (exocarp) seems to also coincide with maturation somewhat similar to that previously observed with the inner pod layer (mesocarp). Crosses with this true-bleeding accession (Pl 560927) both between and within species of the cultigen indicated a single dominant gene, designated Bp, for this Black-Pod trait. No maternal or cytoplasmic effects were defected among progenies from reciprocal crosses, and linkage was not detected between genes for Black-Pod and dominant Krinkle-Leaf or Black-Pod and red testa color.