Breeding for early root thickening of radish (Raphanus sativus L. var. radicula Pers.) under poor light conditions. I. Performance of F1 half-sib families at different temperatures in late autumn.

Abstract

Twenty half-sib families, from early-thickening mother plants selected from four early cultivars in a late-autumn trial [see also PBA 47, 5915], were sown in the glasshouse with their parent types during October 1975, at 10, 14, 17 or 20 deg C. The optimum temperature for root thickening was 14 deg C, and significant differences were observed between families for average root diameter. The earliest families originated from mother plants selected from the early cultivars Rota and Robijn [Ruby]. It is suggested from the results that the autumn selection of plants with early root thickening could be used to obtain families with a shorter growing period under poor light conditions than the parent cultivars, and since the heritability of the breeding value was highest at 14 deg C, selection should be performed at this temperature. (Abstract retrieved from CAB Abstracts by CABI’s permission)