Die Bodenkultur - Journal for Land Management, Food and Environment

M. SCHEER-TRIEBEL and C. BARTSCH:

Selection in early generations for the breeding aim "simultaneous use of oil and fibre" in flax

Summary

Two series of crosses between ten varieties of oil seed flax and fibre flax were started in 1983 and 1984. Early selection was done in F2-bulks, late selection in F4-bulks. The progenies were grown until the F5-generation (early selection) and the F6-generation (late selection). Between the progenies correlation coefficients were calculated within and between the generations F2 to F6 to find selection criteria for early and late selection. Further was investigated if it is possible to find genotypes, which combine the yield of the vegetative parts (fibre) and the generative parts (oil) of the plant. Another target is the synchronisation of maturity of fibre and seeds. Results: - Best selection criteria for single plants are total length, technical length and 1000 seed weight. There is only a little advantage of late selection compared to early selection. - The oil yield is dependent on seed yield, less on oil content and least on 1000 grain weight. The first opportunity for direct selection on seed yield is the F3-generation. - On the contrary a strong correlation between fibre yield and the components total length, technical length and straw yield was found. - The length of the phenological periods influences above all the fibre yield building. A long vegetative period increases total length, technical length and indirectly straw and fibre yield. Late capsule maturity increases 1000 seed weight. - The synchronisation of maturity is rather to achieve by selection for early capsule maturity than for late straw maturity. There is no correlation between the synchronisation of maturity and fibre and oil yield. - Since the negative correlation between fibre and oil yield is not very close, it is not impossible to combine this two breeding aims into one genotype. Key words: flax, breeding, selection criteria.