Abstract:
Objective To study the dormant and recessive leaf traits and genotypes of Betula pendula 'Purple Rain' and Betula pendula 'Dplecprlicp', to screen the elite hybrid combinations and lay a foundation for the establishment of seed orchard.
Method In this study, different mating designs were used among B. pendula 'Purple Rain', B. pendula 'Dplecprlicp', B. platyphylla Suk. and B. pendula. The seed weight, seed vigor, and growth were recorded from their progenies. Chi-square test was used to test the reliability of segregating ratio and the inference of parental genotype.
Result Significantly difference was found among the combinations of parental crosses (P < 0.01) in thousand-seed weight, germination rate, germination potential, germination index, height and diameter. Coefficient of variation (CV) of thousand-seed weight and seed vigor are 66% and 78% for B. pendula, whereas the other traits of CV for B. pendula 'Dplecprlicp' are between 19%~47%. The broad sense heritability for all traits is above 76%. Based on the weight of seed, grain vigor, seedling growth and leaf target traits, it was found that LCK×Z1, Z4×1-28 and LY×LCK are the elite hybrid combinations. Because the progeny of B. pendula 'Purple Rain' has two leaf types, purple and green, it is believed that B. pendula 'Purple Rain' is heterozygous and purple is a dominant trait. Based on the four segregation ratios of green and purple (9:7, 1:1, 1:3 and 3:5), the authors confirm that two pairs of gene P_B_are complementary. Only normal leaves of the same family of LCK half-sib produce lobed leaf progeny based on multiple cross combinations of birch. Therefore, lobed leaf is a recessive trait, and is controlled by two pairs of genes based on segregating ratio 1:3. They belong to a additive effect. The genotype of B. pendula 'Dplecprlicp' is ddbb. The result of Chi-square test confirms above inferences of genotypes and phenotypes.
Conclusion In this study, inheritance of recessive and dominant traits for leaf color and leaf shape was identified. The genotype of B. pendula 'Purple Rain' is P_B_, and B. pendula 'Dplecprlicp' is ddbb. LCK×Z1 and Z4×1-28 for the purple leaf and LY×LCK for the lobed leaf are chosen as the preferred combinations for each seed orchard establishment.