Description

Abstract: The wild species germplasm resources of Arachis are potentially valuable for improving disease and insect resistance in A. hypogaea L. Improving cultivars through interspecific hybridization is restricted because of reproductive barriers and/or genetic incompatibility with many Arachis spp. A description of reproductive efficiency in reciprocal crosses between wild and cultivated Arachis species is needed to clarify potentials for germplasm utilization. This study documents reproductive efficiency using the diploid species A. duranensis (K 7988) and A. stenosperma (HLK 410) in reciprocal crosses with A. hypogaea cv. NC 6. A significant parental effect was observed among crosses and NC 6 was more successful when used as the female parent. Differences in total reproductive efficiency were not observed between the two wild diploid species. However, when A. duranensis was used as a female parent embryos aborted at a high frequency. In contrast, the reduced efficiency observed with A. stenosperma was due to lower fertilization. As attempts are made to utilize the genetic resources of Arachis, different approaches will be needed to overcome reproductive barriers which restrict introgression of potentially desirable traits.