Genetic control of boron efficiency in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

The genetic control of boron (B) efficiencyin wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) wasstudied for three genotypes representing Binefficient (I, Bonza), moderately Binefficient (MI, SW 41) and B efficient (E,Fang 60) categories. Boron efficiency wasexpressed as a partially dominant characterbut the phenotypes of F₁ hybrids,relative to parents, indicated geneticcontrol varying from recessive to additiveto completely dominant with different crosscombinations and B levels. Major geneswere identified from the evaluation ofF₂-derived F₃ populations derivedfrom intercrosses between the threeparents. Monogenic segregation was foundin Bonza × SW 41 and SW 41 × Fang 60crosses and digenic segregation resultedin Bonza × Fang 60. Among thethree wheat genotypes with widely differentB efficiency, genetic variation forresponse to B could be accounted for by twogenes, Bo _d 1 and Bo _d 2.