Planta Med 2010; 76 - P053
DOI: 10.1055/s-0030-1264351

Determination of the best selection criteria for genetic improvement of seed and oil yield in spring safflower cultivars

A Golparvar 1, A Ghasemi Pirbalouti 2
  • 1Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan Branch, Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Isfahan, Iran, 88148 Isfahan, Iran, Islamic Republic Of
  • 2Islamic Azad University, Shahrekord Branch, Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Shahrekord, Iran, 88146 Shahrekord, Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Identification of the important seed and oil yield components in safflower as an important medicinal plant in Iran is very efficient in genetic improvement of these traits via indirect selection. For this reason, ten spring safflower cultivars were sown in a randomized complete block design with three replications in research field of Islamic Azad University, Khorasgan branch. Results of correlation, regression and path analysis revealed that traits 1000-seed weight and seed number plant-1 has considerable positive and direct effects on plant seed yield and accounted for the largest amount of variation exist in this trait. On the other hand, traits 1000-seed weight, days to physiological maturity and seed number plant-1 were the most important plant oil yield components and suggest for breeding of this trait. Over all, results revealed that selection for higher amounts of traits 1000-seed weight and seed number plant-1 can improve indirectly plant seed and oil yield in spring safflower cultivars especially in early breeding generations.

Key words: Spring safflower, indirect selection, correlation analysis, step-wise regression and path analysis.

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