Inheritance of Fruit Size, Soluble Solids, and Ripening Date in Prunus domestica cv. Agen1

Abstract

Genetic and environmental components of variance were estimated in 2 seedling populations of plum and prune at the University of California, Davis, California; the first population comprised 90 progeny of 14 open-pollinated parents, the second, 430 progeny of 50 controlled crosses among 28 parents. The estimates of phenotypic and genotypic variability associated with these traits in these 2 populations were nearly identical. Heritabilities, estimated by regressing the 500 progeny from the second population on their 50 mid-parents, were very high (0.80–1.0) for fruit size measurements and ripening dates, but zero for fruit yield. Also high (0.49) was the maximum heritability of percent soluble solids, estimated by the genetic variance/phenotypic variance. Phenotypic correlations among the traits fruit size, ripening date, and percent soluble solids are also small but significant in this seedling population. These results indicated that the rates of gain to be expected from mass selection on such populations are substantial.

High-density Nursery System for Breeding Peach and Nectarine: A 10-year Analysis

“…When data were analyzed for correlation between stage 1 and the average of 2nd and 3rd year of fruiting in the field (stage 3) there was a slight correlation increase for CR (r = 0.62** vs. r = 0.73**), while FDP remained basically the same (r = 0.64**); however, FC decreased (r = 0.39** vs. r = 0.23), and FS, FF, and CL were again nonsignificant. The results indicate that evaluation for the statistically correlated traits can be made with reasonable accuracy in the fruiting nursery, in part because these traits have high heritability (h2) values as compared to breeding populations of other fruit crops (3,(5)(6)(7)10). Although ratings on desirable selections for FS and FF were not correlated between stages 1 and 2 and between 1 and 3, all ratings were consistently high, Table 1.…”

Inheritance of Fruit Size in the Cultivated Tetraploid Blackberry [Rubus (Tourn.) L. subgenus Eubatus]1

“…This estimate is fairly close to the max imum heritability estimate, indicating that most of the genetic variability (82%) is transmittable through the gametes (i.e., ga metic transmission efficiency is high). High heritabilities for fruit size have been reported in several other fruit species (2,8,10,11,12,20).…”

“…If 5% of the seedlings are selected as superior phenotypes and crossed inter se, the expected genetic advance through selection in one generation would equal 0.62 (h2) x 2.1 (standardized selection differential) x 1.32 (standard de viation of progeny), or 1.72 g per fruit (4). This is a gain of about 36% {1.72/4.75 (x progeny) x 100}, which would be an extremely satisfactory achievement in a trait of commercial im portance (12).…”

“…The separation of carpels was also associated with a delay in processing after harvest (10) and with damage caused by mechanical harvesting and grading (7,8). Carpel rupture in fruit harvested at processing stage was found to be controlled by 1 gene (2), while in fruit harvested at the mature stage it was found to be controlled by 2 or 3 genes, with a heritability of 39% to 45% (12). Build-up of internal carbon dioxide gas pressure during storage in brine tanks has been suggested as the cause of bloating of pickling cucumbers (5).…”