Selection of diverse parents of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) by multivariate analysis and the degree of heterosis of their F1 hybrids

Summary Studies on genetic diversity in chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) indicated the existence of considerable amount of variation for grain yield and its components in the material. One hundred and thirty two genotypes fell into eight clusters. The covariation structure studied by means of factor analysis indicated the possibility of obtaining, through hybridization, genotypes physiologically and morphologically more efficient. Multivariate analysis of data from 7 parents and 21 F1 hybrids indicated weak correspondence between D²-analysis and canonical variate analysis. As there was no relationship between heterosis over midparent and genetic distance between the parents, so the traditional approach of making a large number of crosses is being suggested.     

Resistance of lettuce (Lactuca) to the leaf aphid Nasonovia ribis nigri. 1. Transfer of resistance from L. virosa to L. sativa by interspecific crosses and selection of resistant breeding lines

Summary Interspecific crosses were carried out between the three Lactuca species L. virosa, L. serriola and L. sativa to transfer resistance to the leaf aphid Nasonovia ribis nigri from L. virosa to the cultivated lettuce. L. sativa, L. serriola was used as an intermediate parent between the other two species. Many irregularities were observed in the interspecific hybrids, ranging from premature dying of F₁ plants resulting from a kind of bastard necrosis till complete male and female sterility and deviating microsporogenesis. Using in vitro culture and after several backcrosses male and female fertile plants were obtained with a L. sativa habit and with resistance to the leaf aphid.