Gene action for surrogate traits of water-use efficiency and harvest index in peanut (Arachis hypogaea)

Summary Low peanut productivity in the semi-arid tropics is attributed mainly to drought caused by low and erratic rainfall. Genetic improvement in water-use efficiency (WUE) could potentially lead to improved yield under limited moisture availability. In peanut, WUE is correlated with SPAD chlorophyll meter reading (SCMR), specific leaf area (SLA), and carbon isotope discrimination (Δ13C). These traits can be used as surrogates for selecting for WUE. Partitioning of assimilates as measured by the harvest index (HI) has the greatest effect on pod yield. To improve these traits for tailoring peanut genotypes well matched for water-limited conditions, a good knowledge of genetic systems controlling the expression of these traits is essential. This study was undertaken to work out the gene action for the surrogates of WUE and HI in a 6 × 6 full diallel mating design. Two of the studied surrogates (SCMR and Δ13C) for WUE were found to be under the influence of both additive and nonadditive gene effects with preponderance of the former. SLA and HI were controlled by genes that are mainly additive in nature. Selection for these traits can be effective in the early generations. Maternal effects observed for SLA and Δ13C are suggestive of the crucial role of selection of female parent in improvement of these traits. The parental lines, TMV 2 NLM (for SCMR, SLA and Δ13C) and ICGV 86031 (for SCMR and SLA), were found to be good general combiners each for more than one character. TAG 24 and Chico (for HI) and CSMG 84-1 (for SLA) were the other good general combiners.

[1]  H. Upadhyaya.  Variability for Drought Resistance Related Traits in the Mini Core Collection of Peanut , 2005 .

[2]  P. Sudhakar,et al.  Inheritance of leaf chlorophyll content in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) , 2005 .

[3]  J. Myers,et al.  Improving efficiency of breeding for higher crop yield , 1993, Theoretical and Applied Genetics.

[4]  S. N. Nigam,et al.  Gene effects for specific leaf area and harvest index in three crosses of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) , 2001 .

[5]  R. Rao,et al.  Rapid Assessment of Specific Leaf Area and Leaf Nitrogen in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) using a Chlorophyll Meter , 2001 .

[6]  A. L. Singh,et al.  Field evaluation of chlorophyll meter for screening groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes tolerant to iron-deficiency chlorosis. , 2000 .

[7]  S. N. Nigam,et al.  Combining ability of biomass and harvest index under short- and long-day conditions in groundnut , 1998 .

[8]  S. Ceccarelli,et al.  Relationship between leaf structure and carbon isotope discrimination in field grown barley , 1997 .

[9]  V. Jayalakshmi,et al.  Genetic analysis of carbon isotope discrimination and specific leaf area in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) , 1997 .

[10]  K. Hebbar,et al.  A comparative assessment of water use efficiency in groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) grown in containers and in the field under water-limited conditions , 1994, The Journal of Agricultural Science.

[11]  R. Rao,et al.  Groundnut water relations , 1994 .

[12]  G. Farquhar,et al.  Water-use efficiency and carbon isotope discrimination in peanut under water deficit conditions , 1994 .

[13]  R. Rao,et al.  Stability of the relationship between specific leaf area and carbon isotope discrimination across environments in peanut , 1994 .

[14]  T. Coffelt,et al.  Reproductive efficiency of 14 Virginia-type peanut cultivars , 1989 .

[15]  J. Ehleringer,et al.  Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Photosynthesis , 1989 .

[16]  G. Farquhar,et al.  Discrimination in Carbon Isotopes of Leaves Correlates With Water-Use Efficiency of Field-Grown Peanut Cultivars , 1988 .

[17]  G. Farquhar,et al.  Heritability and Genotype × Environment Interactions of Carbon Isotope Discrimination and Transpiration Efficiency in Peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) , 1988 .

[18]  J. Passioura.  Resistance to Drought and Salinity: Avenues for Improvement , 1986 .

[19]  Graham D. Farquhar,et al.  On the Relationship Between Carbon Isotope Discrimination and the Intercellular Carbon Dioxide Concentration in Leaves , 1982 .

[20]  K. Boote,et al.  Physiological Aspects of Peanut Yield Improvement 1 , 1978 .

[21]  W. K. Bailey,et al.  Registration of Chico Peanut Germplasm1 (Reg. No. GP 2) , 1975 .

[22]  D. Langham.  The High-Low Method of Crop Improvement 1 , 1961 .

[23]  B Griffing,et al.  Concept of general and specific combining ability in relation to diallel crossing systems , 1956 .

[24]  G. Sprague,,et al.  A Comparison of Variance Components in Corn Yield Trials: III. General and Specific Combining Ability and Their Interaction with Locations and Years1 , 1952 .

[25]  G. Sprague,,et al.  General vs. Specific Combining Ability in Single Crosses of Corn1 , 1942 .