Correlations of root traits in monogerm sugar beet from open pollination and their variability

Abstract

The aim of this study was to analyze six open-pollinated monogerm sugar beet genotypes for the important root traits, to examine their hybrids with one (CMS) tester and to estimate the correlation between the traits. Root weight, dry matter content, dry matter yield per root, circumference of root and height of the root head were analyzed. All of the tested hybrids showed better results for root weight and dry matter yield per root than their parents. It was not possible to predict superior hybrid combination based solely on the characteristics of parents. Parents with the lowest root weight per se produced the test hybrid with the highest root weight. Parents showed a positive correlation between root weight and dry matter content and this could help sugar beet breeders to choose the most suitable selection criteria.

Keywords

• breeding
• correlations
• open pollination
• sugar beet
• testcrosses