THE INHERITANCE OF ERUCIC ACID CONTENT IN RAPESEED (BRASSICA CAMPESTRIS)

Abstract

Reciprocal crosses were made between a plant of Brassica campestris L. containing no erucic acid in its seed oil and two plants of the Indian varieties Yellow and Brown Sarson grown from seed containing approximately 59% erucic acid. The erucic acid content in the oil from F1 embryos was intermediate between the parents indicating embryonic control of the synthesis of this acid. Seed oil analysis of F2, F3, and backcross populations supported the hypothesis that erucic acid synthesis is controlled by a single non-dominant gene. Analysis of oil extracted from immature and partially germinated seed showed that erucic acid content was highest in fully matured non-germinated seed.

Fatty acid composition of resynthesized Brassica napus L., B. campestris L. and B. alboglabra Bailey with special reference to the inheritance of erucic acid content

“…The erucic-gene possibly functions more effectively in the genetic background of K-151 than in Sv85-38301. Dorrell and Downey (1964) pointed out that the divergence of B. campestris, e.g., the yellow sarsons from India compared to the Polish types, could even lead to the failure of erucic acid segragation to fit the expected ratio. Krzymanski and Downey (1969) assumed a series of alleles for various erucic acid contents.…”

“…Furthermore, Krzymanski and Downey (1969) ignored the impact of differences in ploidy level when implying the control of erucic acid content to an allelic effect, because E b and E were established in B. campestris whereas E" and E" were established in B. napus. In addition, it is suggested that a number of modifying genes (Dorrell and Downey, 1964) and environmental factors such as drought also influence the erucic acid content. Thus, the possibility cannot be completely excluded that E° and Er (as an example) Crosses were made in the greenhouse to produce F and F2 progeny.…”

“…The genetic control of erucic acid content has been carefully investigated in Brassica crops. It was shown that the erucic acid in the oil is under the control of embryonic genotype and is governed by one gene in diploid species such as B. campestris (AA) (Dorrell and Downey, 1964) and two genes in amphidiploid species such as B. napus (AACC) (Harvey and Downey, 1964;Kondra and Stefansson, 1965;Siebel and Pauls, 1989). Of the two genes in the amphidiploid Brassica species, one occurs in each genome (Fernandez-Escobar et aL, 1988).…”

Single seed analysis of fatty acids and glucosinolates combined with meristem rescue in Brassica campestris L.

“…The half seed technique has long been employed in the routine analysis of fatty acids (Dorrel & Downey 1964). The seeds are germinated for about two days, thereafter the outer cotyledon is dissected and its fatty acid composition analyzed by gas chromatography.…”

“…The half seed method has succesfully been used in routine plant breeding since its introduction by Dorrel and Downey in 1964. The outer cotyledon is removed after one or two days of germination, and the fatty acid composition is analysed.…”