A study on the date of ear emergence in barley

Abstract

1. The discrepancy between the results obtained by various workers concerning the inheritance of earliness or the time of ear emergence in cereals, suggests that this character needs further elucidation physiologically before genetic analysis can be properly undertaken.2. A study of the ear emergence characteristics of varieties when grown under varying conditions indicates that the expression of this character is very much affected by the growing conditions, and the physiological basis must be understood before the various expressions of earliness and lateness are appreciated. It is therefore suggested that the genetic analysis should be conducted in conjunction with a physiological analysis and with a proper consideration and understanding of the effect of environment.3. A series of crosses involving parental forms differing in time of ear emergence, and in some cases belonging to different physiological groups, has shown how differences in genetic behaviour can to some extent be correlated with the physiology of ear emergence of the parents.4. In one cross involving similar types, no evidence of segregation or large genetic difference was obtained. In two crosses involving larger differences of similar types, evidence for a single major factor difference was obtained. In other crosses between different physiological types, and an unstable form, more complex genetic results including transgressive inheritance were obtained. Still other crosses superficially suggested a 3: 1 ratio in theF₂, but the presence of a certain amount of transgression, and the behaviour of theF₃, pointed to a more complicated relationship.5. Two crosses involving different physiological types were studied in theF₁and theF₂when sown at different times in the spring by dividing the progenies into separate portions. It was shown that the behaviour of theF₁and theF₂of the same cross was materially affected by the sowing time.