Inheritance of Juvenile Morphological Traits in Crosses of Chinese and American Chestnut

Progeny from crosses of American and Chinese chestnut were examined for the occurrence of the following traits: green or red stem color; stipule size; stipule dehiscence; bud shape; density of simple hairs on twigs (twig hairs) and lower leaf midribs and secondary veins (vein hairs); and, occurrence of simple hairs on interveinal areas of lower leaf surfaces (interveinal hairs). All traits appear to be controlled by two genes, with two exceptions. These were that occurrence of interveinal hairs and high density of vein hairs on Chinese chestnut may be controlled by one and three dominant genes, respectively. High density of twig hairs on Chinese chestnut is probably controlled by two dominant genes. Red stem color on American chestnut may be controlled by two epistatically interacting, partially dominant genes. Small stipule size on American chestnut may be controlled by two incompletely dominant genes. Large stipules on Chinese chestnut take much longer to senesce and dehisce than small stipules on American chestnut. This appears to be strictly related to stipule size and controlled by the same gene(s). Squat bud shape in Chinese chestnut may be controlled by two dominant genes. The three hair traits, bud shape and stem color were linked to each other. Stem color also was linked to stipule size. The stem color determinations were the most interesting from a pathological perspective. Data also are presented on bud break at one date prior to the first frost-free date in spring.

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Author(s): Frederick Hebard

Publication: American Chestnut Proceedings - 1992