Inheritance of internode and culm length in hexaploid Triticale

A diallel cross of twelve cultivars of hexaploid Triticale was made in order to study genie action types for total culm length and for the length of its different segments. Culm length, and four partial lengths of the culm were studied in the F1 and F2 generations. The analysis was made according to the Griffing, Hayman and Jinks models. Heterosis in culm length is mainly due to its upper half. Spanish cultivars have, in general, positive GCA and transmit greater height in crosses, whereas the Mexican ones show a negative GCA effect and have a tendency to decrease in height when crossed. Additivity greatly influences the inheritance of culm length, this influence being lower at the first plant internodes. The environmental component has also a large influence in the phenotypic expression of Triticale height. Dominance is only partial for the five traits studied. The predominant kind of interaction seems to be of the duplicate type. All correlations between culm length and its components are high and positive, especially the genetic ones.