A model describing the flowering of single plants, and the heritability of flowering traits of Dimorphotheca pluvialis

Abstract

In the development of new crops such as Dimorphoteca pluvialis (L.) Moench, improvement of flowering synchronisation is an important breeding objective. The flowering of single plants of Dimorphotheca pluvialis could be described by a logistic curve obtained by the regression of cumulative number of open flowers on time. The curve is characterised by three parameters, corresponding with the total number of flowers produced by the plant, the rate of flowering development and the day at which peak bloom is reached. From these parameters two other characteristics were derived, i.e., onset of flowering and duration of flowering. The use of the flowering model for selection for improved flowering synchronisation is discussed. Heritabilities of flowering traits were estimated using parent-offspring regression and variance components analyses. Onset of flowering and date of peak bloom showed high (>0.69), and total number of flowers moderate to high (0.30–0.90) heritability values, indicating that for these traits considerable progress may be expected from mass selection, particularly in the early selection generations. Duration of flowering showed low to moderate values (0.25–0.45), and methods other than mass selection (e.g. family selection) should be considered. Determination of phenotypic and genetic correlations revealed only an additive genetic correlation between date of peak bloom and duration of flowering (r _A = 0.80 and 0.69 for 1993 and 1994, respectively), suggesting the possibility of indirect selection for curtailed duration of flowering by means of selection against late date of peak bloom. Duration of flowering, total number of flowers and onset of flowering were not correlated.