Abstract
Basic genetic information needed for a well-planned and rapid teff improvement program is lacking. The purpose of this investigation was to provide part of that missing information by determining the inheritance of: lemma color, seed color and panicle form. The objectives were to determine: (1)the gene actions and interactions, (2)the number of genes involved, (3)the presence or absence of maternal effects, (4)the presence or absence of linkage and (5)the kind of tetraploidy in teff. Six crosses were made among four cultivars - Fesho, Bursa, Kay Murri and Trotteriana. These cultivars have contrasting phenotypic characteristics. Fesho has purple lemmas, dark-brown seeds and very loose, multilaterally oriented panicle branches. Bursa has gray lemmas, greyish-white seeds and fairly loose, unilaterally oriented panicle branches. Kay Murri and Trotteriana both have compact and multilaterally oriented panicle branches. Kay Murri has red lemmas and yellowish-white seeds while Trotteriana has yellowish white lemmas and medium-brown seeds. Data were collected on individually transplanted plants and their progenies in the first (F(,1)), second (F(,2)), third (F(,3)) and backcross generations. Thirty-six F(,1) and 559 backcross plants were grown in individual pots in the greenhouse while 3,600 F(,2) plants were grown in the field. A greenhouse winter nursery was used to grow 9,600 F(,3) progenies in two soil beds. The investigation was conducted at the Lincoln and Scottsbluff experimental stations of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln during 1978-80. Results of the inheritance of lemma color showed that four pairs of genes were involved. This was demonstrated by F(,2) segregation ratios of 3:1, 12:3:1, 15:1, 45:3:16 and 180:12:48:16. Dominance, complementary and epistatic gene action and interactions were found. The four cultivars were assigned the following genotypes: Fesho (purple) = CCPPP2P2GG, Bursa (grey) = ccPPP2P2GG, Kay Murri (red) = CCppp2p2gg and Trotteriana (yellowish-white) = ccPPP2P2gg. Duplicate pairs of genes were identified for the inheritance of seed color. B2 and B were assigned for brown seed color genes and b and b2 for their corresponding alleles for white seed. Gene action between the genes and their alleles was simple dominance with additive effects. Fesho (dark-brown) produced an F(,2) ratio of 15 brown:1 white when crossed with Kay Murri (yellowish-white) and Bursa (greyish-white), whereas the result was 3 brown:1 white for crosses with Trotteriana (medium-brown). Therefore, the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.) Panicle form was found to be conditioned by duplicate pairs of genes for degree of looseness and another pair of genes for branching pattern. Segregation ratios of 15 loose:1 compact in loose x compact crosses showed duplicate dominance for gene action. Loose x loose crosses were all loose and compact x compact crosses were all compact. On the other hand, F(,2) segregation ratio of 13 multilateral:3 unilateral for branching pattern suggested a recessive suppressor types of gene action. Only the cultivar Bursa was found to have unilateral branching. The terms, effusum (very loose, multilateral), contractum (fairly loose, unilateral) and compactum (compact, multilateral) were adopted to include both aspects of panicle form. Fesho (effusum) was assigned a PaPaPa2Pa2 genotype for looseness and MbMbsusu for multiple branching. Similarly, the others would be: Bursa = PaPaPa2Pa2 mbmbSuSu, Kay Murri = papapa2pa2 MbMbsusu and Trotteriana = papapa2pa2 MbMbsusu. No maternal effects or linkages were detected. All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid. This, in turn, indicates that quantitative genetic theory developed for diploids is applicable to teff.
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Claims 20
Claim · model-written summary
Four gene pairs were involved in lemma color inheritance.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- inheritance of lemma colore0
- Value
- four pairs of genese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Results of the inheritance of lemma color showed that four pairs of genes were involved”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Lemma color inheritance showed dominance, complementary, and epistatic interactions.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- Dominance, complementary and epistatic gene action and interactionse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Dominance, complementary and epistatic gene action and interactions were found”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The four parental cultivars were assigned distinct lemma color genotypes.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Material
- Feshoe0
- Outcome
- genotypese2
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Fesho (purple) = CCPPP2P2GG, Bursa (grey) = ccPPP2P2GG, Kay Murri (red) = CCppp2p2gg and Trotteriana (yellowish-white) = ccPPP2P2gg”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Duplicate gene pairs governed seed color.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- inheritance of seed colore0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Duplicate pairs of genes were identified for the inheritance of seed color”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Seed color genes showed simple dominance with additive effects.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- simple dominance with additive effectse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Gene action between the genes and their alleles was simple dominance with additive effects”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fesho crosses with Kay Murri and Bursa segregated 15 brown to 1 white.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Material
- Feshoe0
- Outcome
- F(,2) ratioe0
- Value
- 15 brown:1 whitee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Fesho (dark-brown) produced an F(,2) ratio of 15 brown:1 white when crossed with Kay Murri (yellowish-white) and Bursa (greyish-white)”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Fesho crosses with Trotteriana segregated 3 brown to 1 white.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Material
- Trotterianae0
- Outcome
- seed colore2
- Value
- 3 brown:1 whitee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“result was 3 brown:1 white for crosses with Trotteriana (medium-brown)”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Parental seed color genotypes were determined.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- seed color genotypese0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Panicle looseness was conditioned by duplicate gene pairs and branching by another pair.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- Panicle forme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Panicle form was found to be conditioned by duplicate pairs of genes for degree of looseness and another pair of genes for branching pattern”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Loose by compact crosses segregated 15 loose to 1 compact, indicating duplicate dominance.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- Segregation ratiose0
- Value
- 15 loose:1 compacte0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Segregation ratios of 15 loose:1 compact in loose x compact crosses showed duplicate dominance for gene action”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Loose by loose crosses were all loose.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- all loosee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Loose x loose crosses were all loose”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Compact by compact crosses were all compact.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- all compacte0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“compact x compact crosses were all compact”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Branching pattern segregated 13 multilateral to 3 unilateral, suggesting recessive suppression.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- branching patterne0
- Value
- 13 multilateral:3 unilaterale0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“F(,2) segregation ratio of 13 multilateral:3 unilateral for branching pattern suggested a recessive suppressor types of gene action”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
Only Bursa had unilateral branching.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Material
- Bursae0
- Outcome
- unilateral branchinge0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Only the cultivar Bursa was found to have unilateral branching”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors adopted effusum, contractum and compactum for panicle forms.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- panicle forme0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“The terms, effusum (very loose, multilateral), contractum (fairly loose, unilateral) and compactum (compact, multilateral) were adopted to include both aspects of panicle form”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The parental cultivars were assigned panicle looseness and branching genotypes.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- genotype for loosenesse0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“Fesho (effusum) was assigned a PaPaPa2Pa2 genotype for looseness and MbMbsusu for multiple branching. Similarly, the others would be: Bursa = PaPaPa2Pa2 mbmbSuSu, Kay Murri = papapa2pa2 MbMbsusu and Trotteriana = papapa2pa2 MbMbsusu”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
No maternal effects were detected.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- maternal effectse0
- Direction
- Noe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“No maternal effects or linkages were detected”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
No linkage was detected.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- linkagese0
- Direction
- Noe0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“No maternal effects or linkages were detected”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
All three traits showed disomic inheritance, indicating allotetraploidy.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- disomic inheritance patterne0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”
Claim · model-written summary
The authors infer that diploid quantitative genetic theory applies to teff.
- Taxon
- ERAGROSTIS TEF
Eragrostis teft0 - Outcome
- quantitative genetic theory developed for diploids is applicablee0
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.

Verbatim
e0“quantitative genetic theory developed for diploids is applicable to teff”
t0“ERAGROSTIS TEF”
e1“All the results showed a disomic inheritance pattern for all three traits which indicates that teff is an allotetraploid”
e2“the seed color genotypes of the parents were determined to be Fesho = BBB2B2, Trotteriana = BBb2('gy)b2('gy), Bursa = bbb2('gy)b2('gy) and Kay Murri bbb2b2('.)”