Pattern of quantitative inheritance of yield and component traits in opium poppy (papaver somniferum L.)

Abstract

Generation mean analysis of cross NB-5x58/1 and its reciprocal cross was carried out to understand the nature of gene action in opium poppy. The significance of A, B, C and D scaling tests indicated presence of non-allelic interaction in the inheritance of traits except capsule size and husk yield/plant for reciprocal cross. Additive as well as dominance components of gene action were found in both the crosses. Most of the traits had greater non fixable dominance 'h' and dominance x dominance effects 'l' than fixable additive (d) and additive x additive effects (i) except leaves/plant, branches/plant, capsules/plant, stem diameter, capsule weight/plant, husk yield/plant, opium yield/plant, codeine and narcotine content which showed greater importance of additive (d) and additive x additive effects (i) effects. Inter-mating of the best parents, diallel selective mating or biparental mating in early segregating generations followed by recurrent selections were suggested for genetic improvement of opium poppy.