Increased seed oil percentage is an important objective when breeding for high oil yield in sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.). Although some researchers have investigated the genetics and heritability of sunflower oil percentage, most analyses were conducted on the oil percentage in the whole seed through conventional breeding and biometric procedures. The primary objective of this research was to identify restriction fragment length polymorphisms (RFLPs) linked to quantitative trait loci affecting seed oil percentage, kernel oil percentage, and kernel percentage. An F2 population consisting of 289 individuals was produced by crossing two inbred lines that differ for the traits. The RFLP and trait data were obtained directly from self‐pollinated F2 plants. The RFLP markers (identifying 201 codominant loci) located six regions representing 57% of the genetic variation of seed oil percentage. Two of these regions were associated with kernel oil percentage, two with kernel percentage, and two with both components. Additive gene action was predominant for seed oil percentage and its components.

A 7‐year experiment was begun in 1976 to determine if a nonindigenous inoculant strain of Rhizobium japonicumcould be introduced into, and survive in a soil in Louisiana. The soil was an Olivier silt loam (fine‐silty, mixed, thermic Aquic Fragiudalf) located at Baton Rouge. Inoculation rates were 104or 108R. japonicumstrain 110 cells cm−1of row. The inoculum was applied directly into the furrow as a liquid suspension. The same plots were inoculated for 3 consecutive years. In 1978, a third treatment, 108rhizobia cm−1of row was used as the inoculant and 250 kg NH4NO3‐N ha−1was applied in five equal split applications. None of the plots were inoculated after 1978. ‘Lee’ cultivar was planted in the first 3 years while ‘Dare’, ‘Lee’, ‘Bragg’, and ‘Coker 338’ cultivars were planted in each plot from 1979 through 1982. The cultivars represented Maturity Groups V through VIII. Recovery of the inoculant rhizobia from the soybean (Glycine maxL. Merr.) nodules was quite low during the first 4 years. General recoveries were within the range of 0 to 17% as reported by other researchers for 1 year studies. In 1980 and thereafter, recovery of the inoculant rhizobia increased considerably. Average recoveries over all rates of inoculation ranged from 29 to 33% in 1980 and were up to 54% by 1982. Individual treatment values were as high as 60% from the 108R. japonicumcm−1of row plots in 1982. Results of this study were interpreted to indicate that 3 years of massive soil inoculation with a nonindigenous strain of R. japonicumallowed the permanent establishment of this strain into the soil. Once established, this strain became competitive with the native rhizobia in the soil, and each year formed a higher percentage of the nodules on the soybean roots.

Molecular marker-quantitative trait associations are important for breeders to recognize and understand to allow application in selection. This work was done to provide simple, intuitive explanations of trait-marker regression for large samples from an F2 and to examine the properties of the regression estimators. Beginning with a(- 1,0,1) coding of marker classes and expected frequencies in the F2, expected values, variances, and covariances of marker variables were calculated. Simple linear regression and regression of trait values on two markers were computed. The sum of coefficient estimates for the flanking-marker regression is asymptotically unbiased for an included additive effect with complete interference, and is only slightly biased with no interference and moderately close (15 cM) marker spacing. The variance of the sum of regression coefficients is much more stable for small recombination distances than variances of individual coefficients. Multiple regression of trait variables on coded marker variables can be interpreted as the product of the inverse of the marker correlation matrix R and the vector a of simple linear regression estimators for each marker. For no interference, elements of the correlation matrix R can be written as products of correlations between adjacent markers. The inverse of R is displayed and used to illustrate the solution vector. Only markers immediately flanking trait loci are expected to have non-zero values and, with at least two marker loci between each trait locus, the solution vector is expected to be the sum of solutions for each trait locus. Results of this work should allow breeders to test for intervals in which trait loci are located and to better interpret results of the trait-marker regression.

The performance of BAS 9052 {2-[1-(ethoxyimino)-butyl]-5-[2-(ethylthio)-propyl]-3-hydroxy-2-cyclohexen-1-one} was evaluated when applied postemergence to rhizome and seedling johnsongrass [Sorghum halepense(L.) Pers. # SORHA] in soybeans [Glycine max(L.) Merr. ‘Bragg’ and ‘Centennial’] when the soybeans had four or five trifoliate leaves (V3 to V4 stages) or when they had six to eight trifoliate leaves (V5 to V7 growth stages). The degree of weed control was more strongly associated with rainfall conditions than with the size of the johnsongrass. An exponential equation was used to describe the relationship of soybean seed yield to BAS 9052 rate. BAS 9052 applications of 0.28 kg ai/ha provided an estimated 98% of the potential soybean yield increase when rainfall was adequate but, 0.41 kg ai/ha was required when the plants were grown under moisture stress. Soybean yields were increased by 260 kg/ha when BAS 9052 was applied at the V3 to V4 compared to the V5 to V7 growth stage.

From the viewpoint of a seeds business, classification of locations into homogeneous groups based on genotype × environment interaction (GE) facilitates selection of testing sites and proper placement hybrids or cultivars. Our principal objective was to develop methods to cluster ICI Seeds' strip‐test locations into homogeneous groups with respect to GE. Difficulties encountered in these cluster analyses included missing values in the distance matrix used for cluster analysis (caused by unbalanced data), selection of a proper distance measure, and graphical presentation of clusters. We propose use of a modified distance measure to resolve the first two difficulties. Dendograms are used to present clusters, and bar charts are used to show relative effects of individual hybrids or cultivars within clusters. Classification of counties in Iowa is into four groups: northern, central, southeastern, and southwestern regions. The results of the GE analyses compare favorably with breeder and agronomist observations on hybrid adaptation and show some similar groupings with divisions of the state specified in the Iowa State University yield test report.