Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Heritability estimates and progeny testing of phenotypic selections for soluble solids content in dehydrator onion

  • Published:
Euphytica Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Soluble solids comprise most of onion bulb dry mass, and dehydrator onion cultivars are developed from breeding populations that have high dry mass content. Realized and narrow-sense heritability estimates were obtained for the soluble solids content (SSC) trait in two open-pollinated dehydrator onion breeding populations (BP) using response to selection and half-sib family analysis. Parental populations, designated as BP9335-U and BP9243-U, were derived from two-way crosses of lines advanced as open- pollinated (OP) populations to the F7 or F_6 generation, respectively. BP9335-U had one previous selection cycle for increased SSC and BP9243-U had three SSC selection cycles. In these experiments, parental populations were screened again for high SSC, and selected bulbs were intermated to form half-sib progeny groups, designated as BP9335-S and BP9243-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.6% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.64 was obtained for BP9335-S. Mean SSC was increased by 6.3% and a realized heritability estimate of 0.36 was obtained for BP9243-S. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.58 ±0.05 and 0.30 ±0.03 were obtained for parental populations BP9335-U and BP9243-U, respectively. Narrow-sense heritability estimates of 0.40 ± 0.03 and 0.63 ± 0.23 were obtained for progeny populations derived from selected high-SSC bulbs of these lines (BP9335-S and BP9243-S), respectively, indicating that there is significant additive genetic control of the SSC trait in these populations. Significant differences in half-sib family performance in the advanced groups BP9335-S and BP9243-S demonstrate that progeny testing was effective for evaluating phenotypic selections.

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

  • Amer. Dehydrated Onion & Garlic Assoc., 1993. Industry Report. ADOGA, 1 Maritime Plaza, San Francisco, California 94111.

    Google Scholar 

  • Amer. Spice Trace Assoc., 1993. Proceedings of the Fifth Annual Spice Tech Forum. ASTA, 560 Sylvan Ave., Englewood Cliffs, New Jersey 07632.

  • Bailey, A.L. & J.N. Corgan, 1986. Growing onions in New Mexico. Coop Ext Serv Circ 524, NMSU, Las Cruces, N.M. 88003.

    Google Scholar 

  • Birth, G.S. & G.G. Dull, 1985. Non-destructive spectrophotometric determination of dry matter in onions. J Amer Soc Hort Sci 110: 297–303.

    Google Scholar 

  • Cairns, A.J., 1993. Evidence for the de novo synthesis of fructan by enzymes from higher plants: a reappraisal of the SST/FFT model. New Phytol 123: 15–24.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Corgan, J.N. & N. Kedar, 1990. Onion cultivation in subtropical climates. Chap. 2. In: J.L. Brewster & H.D. Rabinowitch (Eds), Onions & Allied Crops, Ch. 2, Vol. 2, pp. 31–48. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Darbyshire, B. & R.J. Henry, 1978. The distribution of fructans in onions. New Phytol 81: 29–34.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darbyshire, B. & R.J. Henry, 1979. The association of fructans with high percentage dry weight in onion cultivars suitable for dehydrating. J Sci Food Agric 30: 1035–1038.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darbyshire, B. & R.J. Henry, 1981. Differences in fructan content and synthesis in some Allium species. New Phytol 87: 249–256.

    Article  CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Darbyshire, B. & B.T. Steer, 1990. Carbohydrate biochemistry. In: J.L. Brewster & H.D. Rabinowitch (Eds), Onions & Allied Crops, Ch. 2, Vol. 3, pp. 1–16. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Dowker, B.D., 1990. Onion breeding. In: J.L. Brewster & H.D. Rabinowitch (Eds), Onions & Allied Crops, Ch. 11, Vol. 1, pp. 215–232. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Endlemann, J. & T.G. Jefford, 1968. The mechanisms of fructosan metabolism in higher plants as exemplified by Helianthus tuberosus. New Phytol 67: 517–531.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Falconer, D.S., 1981. Introduction to Quantitative Genetics. 2nd edition. John Wiley & Sons, New York, New York.

    Google Scholar 

  • Fenwick, R.G. & A.B. Hanley, 1990. Processing of Alliums: use in food manufacture. In: J.L. Brewster & H.D. Rabinowitch (Eds), Onions & Allied Crops, Ch. 4, Vol. 3, pp. 73–91. CRC Press, Boca Raton, Fl.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hallauer, A.R. & J.B. Miranda Fo, 1988. Quantitative Genetics in Maize Breeding, 2nd edition. Iowa State University Press, Ames, Iowa.

    Google Scholar 

  • Havey, M.J. & W.M. Randle, 1996. Combining abilities for yield and bulb quality among long-and intermediate-day openpollinated onion populations. J Amer Soc Hort Sci 121: 604–608.

    Google Scholar 

  • Henry, R.J. & B. Darbyshire, 1979. Sucrose: sucrose fructosyltransferase and fructan: fructan fructosyltransferase from Allium cepa. Phytochem 19: 1017–1020.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kadams, A.M. & C.C. Nwasike, 1986. Heritability and correlation studies on some vegetative traits in Nigerian local white onion, Allium cepa L. Plant Breeding 97: 232–236.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Kehr, A.E., 1952. Soluble solids and their determination in onions. Proc Assoc Southern Ag Workers 49: 110.

    Google Scholar 

  • Lin, M.-W., J.F. Watson & J.R. Baggett, 1995. Inheritance of soluble solids and pyruvic acid content of bulb onions. J Amer Soc Hort Sci 120: 119–122.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • Madalageri, B.B., K.M. Bojappa, U.V. Sulladmath & N.M. Patil, 1986. Onion breeding for higher solids I. — Genetic variation, heritability and stability. Indian J Horticult 43: 248–251.

    Google Scholar 

  • Mann, L.K., & B.J. Hoyle, 1945. Use of the refractometer for selecting onion bulbs high in dry matter for breeding. Proc Am Soc Hort Sci 46: 285–292.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

  • McCollum, G.D., 1968. Heritability and genetic correlation of soluble solids, bulb size and shape in white sweet Spanish onion. Can J Genet Cytol 10: 508–514.

    Google Scholar 

  • Nieuwhof, M., J.W. de Bruyn & F. Garretsen, 1973. Methods to determine solidity and dry matter content of onions (Allium cepa L). Euphytica 22: 39–47.

    Article  Google Scholar 

  • Pike, L.M., 1986. Onion breeding. Chap. 10. In: M.J. Basset (Ed), Breeding Vegetable Crops, Ch. 10, pp. 357–394. AVI Publishing. Westport, Conn.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simmonds, N.W., 1979. Principles of Crop Improvement. Longman Publishing, New York, NY.

    Google Scholar 

  • Simon, P.W., 1995. Genetic analysis of pungency and soluble solids in long-storage onions. J Amer Soc Hort Sci 120: 119–122.

    Google Scholar 

  • Sinclair, P.J., A.B. Blakeney & E.W.R. Barlow, 1995. Relationships between bulb dry matter content, soluble solids concentration and non-structural carbohydrate composition in the onion (Allium cepa). J Sci Food Agric 69: 203–209.

    CAS  Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Agronomy & Horticulture, MSC 3Q, New Mexico State University, P.O. Box 30003, Las Cruces, NM, 88003–8003, U.S.A

    Arthur D. Wall & Joe N. Corgan

Authors
  1. Arthur D. Wall
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. Joe N. Corgan
    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

Wall, A.D., Corgan, J.N. Heritability estimates and progeny testing of phenotypic selections for soluble solids content in dehydrator onion. Euphytica 106, 7–13 (1999). https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003451231189

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1023/A:1003451231189

Search

Navigation