HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Richards, R. A. Articles by Passioura, J. B. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Richards, R. A. Articles by Passioura, J. B. Agricola Articles by Richards, R. A. Articles by Passioura, J. B.

Seminal Root Morphology and Water Use of Wheat II. Genetic Variation¹

The resistance to the longitudinal flow of water through the seminal roots of a wheat (Triticum spp.) plant depends largely on the number of seminal axes and on the diameters of their main xylem vessels. With a view to increasing this resistance by breeding, the nature and extent of genetic variation in these root characters were investigated in over 1,000 accessions of both modern and primitive wheats with different ploidy levels and in populations derived from them. The diameter of the xylem vessel proved to be the more tractable character. This was because (1) no accession, or line derived from different F2 populations, had substantially fewer seminal axes than average, whereas some land-race wheats with acceptably narrow vessels were found, and (2) parent-offspring regressions established that the heritability of vessel diameter was considerably higher than that of the number of axes. Vessel diameter can be manipulated genetically as was shown by the significant responses to selection in different populations.

Key Words: Triticum spp. • Drought resistance • Xylem vessel

² Research Scientists, Division of Plant Industry, CSIRO, P. O. Box 1600, Canberra City, A.C.T. 2601, Australia.

Received for publication November 19, 1979.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				Y. Hebert, E. Guingo, and O. Loudet The Response of Root/Shoot Partitioning and Root Morphology to Light Reduction in Maize Genotypes Crop Sci., March 1, 2001; 41(2): 363 - 371. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]