Genetics of super thin pericarp
--Insup Lee, Bongho, Choe, Wonkoo Lee and Heebong Lee

We reported that one of the Korean waxy inbreds developed by the authors to improve the table quality of waxy hybrids had very thin pericarp (MNL 67:109, 1993). In order to determine the genetic nature of the thin pericarp inbred, we made diallel crosses among six waxy inbreds. We measured pericarp thickness of the parents as well as the hybrids using the method reported by Wolf et al. (Agron. J. 61:777-779, 1969). Results indicated that waxy hybrids with thin pericarp can be developed by choosing proper parental lines. Of the six inbreds, the pericarp thickness of Jewon inbred was about 40 µm and the pericarp thickness of Danyang inbred was about 100 µm. Hybrids crossed with Jewon also showed thinner pericarp compared with other hybrids. However, Danyang inbred which has thick pericarp showed thicker pericarp in hybrid combinations. Variance due to general combining abilities was much greater than the variance due to the specific combining abilities, indicating that additive gene effects are more important. The pericarp thickness of waxy hybrid endosperm varied with the parts of pericarp. The germinal side of the pericarp is thinner than the abgerminal part. The upper part (crown) has thicker pericarp than the lower part (tip) of the kernel.

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