Evaluation of Cross-fertilization in Forage Crops

Authors

Herman J. Gorz, United States Department of Agriculture
Francis A. Haskins, University of Nebraska-LincolnFollow

Date of this Version

9-1971

Comments

Published in Crop Science (1971) 11: 731-734.

Abstract

In the improvement of forage crop varieties knowledge of the extent of cross-fertilization is of value for (1) determining the extent and randomness of crossing in breeding procedures, (2) estimating varietal changes due to contamination and mechanical mixtures, and (3) evaluating effects of cross-fertilization in the development and production of synthetic and hybrid combinations. Genetic markers can aid greatly in the evaluation of cross·fertilization, and thus in the development and production of new varieties. Ideally, markers should be distinctive and readily detected in the seedling stage, conditioned by a single dominant gene with complete penetrance, and have no adverse effects on plant growth, zygote viability, or randomness of cross-pollination.