Performance of Doubled Haploid Populations Segregating for Linolenic Acid Levels in Spring Rapeseed
1997
Rajcan, Istvan | Kott, Laima S. | Beversdorf, Wallace D. | Kasha, Ken J.
Linolenic acid (18:3) is a trienoic fatty acid known as the unstable component of canola oil contributing, upon oxidation, to undesirable odors and flavors of oil. The environmental sensitivity and complex inheritance of the trait make the breeding for lower 18:3 content difficult. A 2-yr, two-location study was carried out using a doubled haploid (DH) population of rapeseed lines (L. or L.) varying for 18:3 content in order to characterize these lines agronomically and assess the magnitude of environmental variation of the 18:3 content. Correlation analyses between 18:3 and other fatty acids as well as various agronomic and quality traits were performed to determine possible correlated responses associated with breeding for low 18:3 canola. Decreasing the 18:3 content was significantly associated with later flowering and maturity, higher oil, and lower protein content but not with yield, lodging, and plant height. Orthogonal contrasts comparing the low with intermediate and high 18:3 containing DH lines showed no yield disadvantage of the low 18:3 DH lines for one location in 1 yr. Environmental influence on the 18:3 content was larger between the years than between locations in I yr. Because of environmental sensitivity and correlation between low linolenic acid content and later maturity, it may be preferable to use molecular markers linked to the low 18:3 content alleles to select for low linolenic canola at the seedling stage.
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