Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Genetic basis of grain filling rate in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.)

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

Grain filling rate in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.) positively influences grain yield under a wide range of conditions. The effective utilization of this trait in breeding depends on an understanding of its genetic control. A study was, therefore, conducted to determine the genetic basis of grain filling rate in six crosses of wheat. Higher order genic interactions and/or linkage were important in the genetic regulation of grain filling rate (GFR) in the majority of crosses. Additive ([d]) and dominance ([h]) gene effects were important in the control of GFR in main ears (ME) and whole plant ears (WPE). Additive and additive × additive epistatic effects were the most important in the genetic control of GFR in last ears (LE). Location effects on genetic effects for GFR were significant (P < 0.05) in all ear types of some crosses except in ME. Genotype × environment interaction effects were important (P < 0.001) in LE and WPE.

It was concluded that the inheritance of GFR is complex and is dependent on ear type. Breeding procedures that facilitate the exploitation of non-additive and additive gene effects were recommended for the genetic improvement of grain filling rate of wheat.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Amaya A.A., R.H.Busch & K.L.Lebsock, 1972. Estimates of genetic effects of heading date, plant height and grain yield in durum wheat. Crop Sci. 17: 478–481.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bhullar B.S., K.S.Gill & G.S.Makal, 1978. Genetic analysis of protein in wheat. In: S.Ramanujam (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fifth International Wheat Genetics Symposium, pp. 613–625. Indian Agriculture Research Institute, New Delhi, India.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bingham J., 1967. Investigations on the physiology of yield in winter wheat, by comparison of varieties and by artificial variation in grain number per ear. J. Agric. Sci., Cambridge 68: 411–422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bingham J., 1987. Exploitation of heterosis in wheat breeding. Heredity 59: 313.

    Google Scholar 

  • Bryne I. & C.D.Rosmusson, 1974. Eecurrent selection for mineral content in wheat and barley. Euphytica 23: 241–249.

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch R.H., J.C.Janke & R.C.Frohberg, 1974. Evaluation of crosses among high and low yielding parents of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and bulk prediction of line performance. Crop Sci. 14: 47–50.

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch R.H. & K.Kofoid, 1982. Recurrent selection for kernel weight in spring wheat. Crop Sci. 22: 568–572.

    Google Scholar 

  • Busch R.H., K.A.Lucken & R.C.Frohberg, 1971. F1 hybrids versus random F5 line performance and estimates of genetic effects in spring wheat. Crop Sci. 11: 357–361.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cross H.Z., 1975. Diallel analysis of duration and rate of grain filling of seven inbred lines of corn. Crop Sci. 15: 532–535.

    Google Scholar 

  • Egli D.E., E.L.Ramseur, YuZhen-wen & C.H.Sullivan, 1989. Source-sink alterations affect the number of cells in soyabean cotyledons. Crop Sci. 29: 732–735.

    Google Scholar 

  • Frankel O.H., B.Shineberg & A.Munday, 1970. The genetic basis of an invariant character in wheat. Heredity 24: 571–591.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fussell L.K. & C.J.Pearson, 1978. Course of grain development and its relationship to black region appearance in Pennisetum americanum. Field Crops Research 1: 21–31.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gebeyehou G., D.R.Knott & R.J.Baker, 1982. Relationships among durations of vegetative and grain filling phases, yield components and grain yield in durum wheat cultivars. Crop Sci. 22: 287–290.

    Google Scholar 

  • Gill K.S., S.S.Dhillon & K.S.Bains, 1972. Combining ability and inheritance of yield components in crosses involving Indian and exotic wheat germplasm. Indian J. Genet. Plant Breeding 32: 421–430.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer A.R. & J.B.Miranda, 1981. Quantitative genetics in maize breeding. Iowa State University Press, Ames, USA.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hartung R.C., C.G.Poneleit & P.L.Cornelius, 1989. Direct and correlated responses to selection for rate and duration of grain fill in maize. Crop Sci. 29: 740–745.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hayman B.I., 1958. The separation of epistatic from additive and dominance variation in generation means. Heredity 12: 371–390.

    Google Scholar 

  • Housley T.L., A.W.Kirleis, H.W.Ohm & F.L.Patterson, 1982. Dry matter accumulation in soft red winter wheat seeds. Crop Sci. 22: 290–294.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jain, K.B.L. & G. Singh, 1978. Estimates of additive, dominance and additive × additive genetic variatnce in common wheat. In: S. Ramanujam (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fourth Wheat Genetics Symposium 2: 606–612.

  • Jenner C.F., 1970. Relationship between levels of soluble carbohydrates and starch synthesis in detached ears of wheat. Austr. J. Biol. Sci. 23: 991–1003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner C.F., 1976. Physiological investigations on restrictions to transport of sucrose in ears of wheat. Austr. J. Plant Physiol. 3: 337–347.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner C.F. 1980. Effects of shading or removing spikelets in wheat: Testing assumptions. Austr. J. Plant Physiol. 7: 113–121.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner C.F. & A.J.Rathjen, 1972a. Factors limiting the supply of sucrose to the developing wheat grain. Ann. Bot. 36: 729–741.

    Google Scholar 

  • Jenner C.F. & A.J.Rathjen, 1972b. Limitations to the accumulation of starch in the developing wheat grain. Ann. Bot. 36: 743–754.

    Google Scholar 

  • Ketata H., E.L.Smith, L.H.Edwards & R.W.McNew, 1976. Detection of epistatic, additive and dominance variation in winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L. em. Thell.). Crop Sci. 16: 1–4.

    Google Scholar 

  • Manness N.O., 1989. High temperature limitation for enzymatic sugar conversion in wheat kernels. Wheat, Barley and Triticale Abstr. 6: 422.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mashiringwani N.A. & M.A.Schweppenhauser, 1992. Phenotypic characters associated with yield adaptation of wheat to a range of temperature conditions. Field Crops Res 29: 69–77.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mather K. & J.L.Jinks, 1971. Biometrical genetics. Chapman and Hall Ltd., New Fetter Lane, London EC4.

    Google Scholar 

  • McFerson J.K. & K.J.Frey, 1991. Recurrent selection for protein yield of oat. Crop Sci. 31: 1–8.

    Google Scholar 

  • Meterlerkamp, H.R.R., 1975. Irrigation scheduling by means of class ‘A’ pan evaporation. Rhodesia Agric. J. Techn. Bull. No. 16.

  • Millet E. & M.J.Pinthus, 1980. Genotypic effects of maternal tissues of wheat on its grain weight. Theor. Appl. Genet. 58: 247–252.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nass H.G. & B.Reisser, 1975. Grain filling period and grain yield relationships in spring wheat. Can. J. Plant Sci. 55: 673–678.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pathak N.N. & D.P.Nema, 1983. Gene action and heterosis in a spring wheat cross under high temperature and moisture stress conditions. In: S.Sakamoto (Ed.). Proceedings of the Sixth International Wheat Genetics Symposium, pp. 555–561. Plant Germplasm Institute, Kyoto University, Kyoto, Japan 1983.

    Google Scholar 

  • Perenzin M., F.Ferrari & M.Motto, 1980. Heritabilities and relationships among grain-filling period, seed weight and quality in forty Italian varieties of corn (Zea mays L.). Can. J. Plant Sci. 60: 1101–1107.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinthus M.J. & E.Millet, 1978. Interactions among number of spikelets, number of grains and grain weight in the spikes of wheat. Ann. Bot. 42: 839–848.

    Google Scholar 

  • Pinthus M.J. & Y.Sar-Shalom, 1978. Dry matter accumulation in the grains of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cultivars differing in grain weight. Ann. Bot. 42: 469–471.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sanford D.A.van, 1985. Variation in kernel growth characters among soft red winter wheats. Crop Sci. 25: 626–630.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmons S.R. & R.K.Crookston, 1979. Rate and duration of growth of kernels formed at specific florets in spikelets of wheat. Crop Sci. 19: 690–693.

    Google Scholar 

  • Singh, R.B. & S.L. Dwevidi, 1978. Biparental mating in wheat. In: S. Ramanujam (Ed.). Proceedings of the Fifth International Wheat Genetics Symposium 2: 671–679.

  • Sofield I., L.T.Evans, M.G.Cook & I.F.Wardlaw, 1977. Factors influencing the rate and duration of grain filling in wheat. Austr. J. Plant Physiol. 4: 785–797.

    Google Scholar 

  • Srivastava R.B., R.S.Paroda & O.P.Luthra, 1980. Estimation of gene effects for components of yield in wheat. Cer. Res. Commun. 8: 515–520

    Google Scholar 

  • Widner J.N. & K.L.Lebsock, 1973. Combining ability in durum wheat. I. Agronomic characteristics. Crop Sci. 13: 164–167.

    Google Scholar 

  • Zianddin A., T.C.Radheyshyam & R.P.Katiyar, 1979. Combining ability and economic heterosis in bread wheat. Indian J. Agric. Sci. 49: 151–158.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Research and Specialist Services, Causeway, P.O. Box 550 CY, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Nehemia Anthony Mashiringwani, Josephine Kangai & Klaus Olsen

  2. Department of Crop Science, University of Zimbabwe, Mount Pleasant, P.O. Box MP 167, Harare, Zimbabwe

    Kingstone Mashingaidze

Authors
  1. Nehemia Anthony Mashiringwani
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Kingstone Mashingaidze
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. Josephine Kangai
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  4. Klaus Olsen
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mashiringwani, N.A., Mashingaidze, K., Kangai, J. et al. Genetic basis of grain filling rate in wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Thell.). Euphytica 76, 33–44 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024018

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Accepted:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00024018

Key words

Search

Navigation