Genetic analysis of tocopherol content and composition in winter rapeseed

The improvement of the nutritional value and the stability properties of rapeseed oil is partly hindered by the lack of information on the genetic control of tocopherols. The objectives of this investigation were to characterize the inheritance of tocopherols by using two factorial mating designs (North Carolina Design II, NC_II). The first (NC_II‐A) was produced with two sets of nine parents each, one selected for high and the other for low total tocopherol contents. In the second (NC_II‐B), each set consisted of six parents, which were either high or low for the α/γ‐tocopherol ratio. Parents and F₁ hybrids from both experiments were tested under field conditions in 1998 and 1999 using a completely randomized design with two replications. Only small differences were detected between mean values of parents and F₁ hybrids. General combining ability (GCA) variation in both experiments was highly significant (P < 0.01) for all tocopherol traits. Significant specific combining ability (SCA) effects were only detected for a‐tocopherol in NC_IIA and therefore for the α‐/γ‐tocopherol ratio. These results indicate that tocopherol contents and composition are controlled mainly by genes with additive effects. Interactions of F₁ hybrids and GCA effects with the environment were significant for only tocopherol contents and not for tocopherol composition.