GENES FOR SHORT STATURE IN BARLEY

Inheritance of height in barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) was studied with the objective of finding genes for short stature and understanding height inheritance. Segregation for height was visually classified in F-3 populations derived from crosses of 11 short-stature genotypes to two testers, tall cultivar Robust and M62 (a Minnesota semidwarf line containing the 'Jotun' derived sdw gene). Populations were classified in the field from 1987 to 1991. Height In the short-stature genotypes was hypothesized to be controlled by one, two, or three recessive genes. The seven genotypes which have only one short-stature gene, 'Diamant' ('Triumph' and 'Cheri), 'Gus', 'Kombar', NK41558, and SMAI6W41428, appear to contain sdw or an alternative allele at that locus. We hypothesize that two genotypes, E295 and 'Poco', contain one short-stature gene in addition to the sdw gene, and that Apam Dwarf contains two short-stature genes as well as sdw. 'UC476', the only short-stature genotype in this study that appears not to contain sdw, likely has two other short-stature genes. Heights of the parents and F-2.3 progenies fell roughly into four classes, which we hypothesized corresponded to genotypes with no, one, two, or three recessive short-stature genes. Height differences in all populations and among the parents indicated that modifying genes play an important role in determining height. This study revealed that the sdw gene is widespread, occurring in 10 of the 11 short-stature genotypes. Putative new genes for short-stature were found in E295, UC476, Poco, and Apam Dwarf.