Jojoba—Genetically controlled botanical traits

Abstract and summary

The discovery of correlations between botanical traits and wax quantity and quality in the seed would facilitate early detection and elimination of undesirable genotypes in a jojoba breeding program. The traits studied were: (a) branching; upright, spherical, and prostrate strains were found. (b) Leaf size; variability in mean leaf size is continuous ranging from 14×6 mm (long×short leaf axis) to 39×16 mm. (c) Leaf color; a light yellow leaf mutant was found. (d) Earliness; strains were found with early flowering and seed development which might escape unfavorable effects of winter frosts. (e) Number of fruit per node; strains were selected which instead of single fruit have clusters of two to ten fruit in more than 50% of the inflorescences. (f) Fruiting pattern; strains with a flower at each node instead of at every other node were found. (g) Male to female ratio; a significant deviation from a 1∶1 ratio was found in favor of male plants.