Morphological, chemical, and cytogenetic characters of F/sub 1/ hybrids between Parthenium argentatum (guayule) and P. fruticosum var. fruticosum (Asteraceae) and their potential in rubber improvement

Journal Article · · Econ. Bot.; (United States)

OSTI ID:6773503

Naqvi, H H; Hashemi, A; Davey, J R; Waines, J G

Interspecific hybrids between Parthenium argentatum, the guayule rubber plant, and P. fruticosum var. fruticosum were evaluated for their potential rubber content and quality. Fifteen-mo-old field-grown plants of P. fruticosum var. fruticosum measured four times more in height and spread than those of P. argentatum, but contained less than 0.05% rubber of low mol wt. Parthenium argentatum showed 2% rubber content, with a mol wt of about one million. Resin contents varied little among parents or hybrids. The same age F/sub 1/ hybrids were intermediate in height and spread and had low rubber content, but showed presence of high mol wt rubber like the guayule parent. This indicates that high mol wt rubber is expressed over the low mol wt rubber in F/sub 1/ hybrids. Despite low rubber content but favorable biomass production, F/sub 1/ hybrids revealed irregular meiotic chromosome behavior and low pollen and seed germination. These results suggest that interspecific F/sub 1/ hybrids may be used in backcross programs to increase biomass and rubber content in guayule.

• Research Organization: Univ. of California, Riverside
• OSTI ID: 6773503
• Journal Information: Econ. Bot.; (United States), Vol. 41:1
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

09 BIOMASS FUELS
GUAYULE
GENETIC VARIABILITY
RESOURCE POTENTIAL
BIOMASS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CHROMOSOMES
HYBRIDIZATION
MORPHOLOGY
NATURAL RUBBER
POLLEN
SEEDS
BIOLOGICAL VARIABILITY
ELASTOMERS
ENERGY SOURCES
GAMETES
GERM CELLS
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANIC POLYMERS
PLANTS
POLYMERS
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
RUBBER TREES
RUBBERS
TREES
140504* - Solar Energy Conversion- Biomass Production & Conversion- (-1989)