Manifestation of heterosis in new simple experimental hybrids (f1) of winter rye

Abstract

The aim and tasks of the study was to determine manifestation levels of hypothetical and competitive heterosis by economically valuable traits in new simple experimental F1 hybrids created on the basis of CMS and to select highly heterotic ones among them.

Material and methods. The studies were conducted in 2013-2014. The test material was 22 simple F₁ hybrids. Two lines with male sterility were used as maternal forms. Eleven fertility restores were used as paternal forms. The variety Pamyat Khudoierka served as the standard. Hybrids were grown by the conventional technology for the forest-steppe zone. To calculate hypothetical and competitive heterosis, formulae were used.

Results and Discussion. Manifestation of heterosis in new hybrids was recorded, and its value was determined. Hypothetical and competitive heterosis was calculated by the traits "yield capacity", "productive tillering", "spikelet number per ear", "grain number and weight from the main ear", "grain number and weight per plant", and "plant height". We observed a significant increase in plant height in hybrids compared to the average parent, which is a negative consequence of breeding for heterosis, because it leads to lodging of rye plants.

Conclusions. The data obtained revealed twenty simple highly heterotic hybrids that can be recommended for testing in competitive variety trials. However, the drawback of  the studied hybrids is manifestation of heterosis byr plant height, which requires implementation of agrotechniques in cultivation technology of these hybrids to offset this disadvantage.