JWSS - Journal of Water and Soil Science

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In this study 130 honeybee colonies in 4 locations (Damavand, Tehran, Qum and Karaj-Savojbolagh) were sampled to determine the phenotypic correlations among 9 morphological and 3 production traits. The morphological traits were length (FL) and width (FB) of fore wing, cubital index (CI), length of hind leg (HL), length of probosics (LP), slender index (SI), length (WL) and width (WT) of wax mirror, distance between wax mirror (WD), index of wax mirror (IW) and corbicular area (CA). The production traits were honey yield (WH), pollen gathering (WP) and wax: production (WW). Data were subjected to analysis of variance, phenotypic correlations, stepwise regression and path coefficient analysis. Results of phenotypic correlations demonstrated that correlations between FL with FB (0.65), WL (0.361), WT (0.261), HL (0.555) and LP (0.257), WH with WP (0.300), WW with WH (0.560) and CA with WH (0.234) were significant (P≤0.01). FB with WH (r=0.204) was also significant but there was no significant correlation between CA and WP. Results of stepwise regression and path coefficient analysis showed that whereas morphological traits were settled as independent variables, much of the corresponding changes in production traits remain uninterpreted. In spite of the significant correlations among several morphological and production traits, body measurements alone are not suitable criteria to select colonies for high productions of honey, pollen and wax.

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To estimate the relationship between honey yield and some of the morphological characters, five queen-daughters from each of 30 queen-mothers were studied. The queen-mothers were selected randomly from the apiary of Research Center of Animal Science and Natural Resources in Isfahan Province. Summer honey yield was measured from the difference of honey comb before and after honey extraction while fall honey production was calculated from area of sealed honey combs. Morphological characters were recorded using a stereodissecting microscope fitted with a calibrated micrometer reticule according to Ruttner’s procedures. The mean of honey yield for a year was estimated to be 10.05 kg. Phenotypic correlations between yearly honey production and summer and fall honey productions were estimated to be 0.49 and 0.88, respectively, while the correlation between summer and fall honey yields was low (0.019). There were significant correlations between summer honey yield with cubital-b index, tibia length and forewing width (0.28, 0.27 and 0.25, respectively). Also there were significant correlations between metatarus width with total and fall honey yields (0.22 and 0.23, respectively). Genetic correlations between metatarus length and cubital index with summer honey yield were negative (-0.75 and -0.45, respectively). It may be concluded that due to the high correlation between summer honey production and total honey yield, one could improve yearly honey production by selecting on the basis of summer yield of colonies. Among morphological traits, metatarus length, forewing width and cubital index could be used in the breeding plan in order to increase honey yield.

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Six morphological traits of rice were evaluated in a 5 × 5 one-way diallel cross using a randomized complete block design corresponding with their F1 generations in 2007 at Iranian Rice Research Institute – Amol. Results from analysis of variance for traits of plant height, flag leaf angle, flag leaf length, flag leaf width, internode length and panicle length exhibited significant genetic differences among parental cultivars and their hybrids. Significant means of squares for GCA and SCA showed the positive actions of additive and non-additive effects on controlling these traits. Also, ratio of mean squares of GCA on SCA ( ) were significant in all traits that showing a higher importance for role of additive effects in comparison with role of non-additive effects in functions of genes controlling the studied traits. High narrow sense heritability of these traits proved majority roles for additive effects of genes in genetic control of the studied characteristics therefore, selection of these triats may be succeed. Overall, both of Neda and IR62871-175-1-10 were the best parents for general combining ability for reducting plant height, flag leaf length and internode length and increasing flag leaf width. Meanwhile, because of higher SCA, Neda × Binam and Neda × Dasht were the best hybrids for increasing spike length and decreasing height, respectively.

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In order to study the morphological characteristics and yield of leafy corn hybrids, and comparie them with those of commercial hybrids, an experiment was conducted in the research field of Agricultural College, Tarbiat Modares University in 2005. A complete block design was used with three replications. Hybrids were obtained from crosses between leafy inbred lines and also commercial inbred lines with leafy inbred. There was a significant difference in single crosses on above and below leaf number and area, biomass, leaf length, plant height and distance between ear and tassel, internodes length, ear height (p<0.01). The most and least above ear leaf number were for b7*a4 and commercial hybrids, respectively. Most of the leafy hybrids had more above and below leaf number than commercial hybrids. Some of leafy hybrids produced the same yield as commercial hybrids and the others produced more. Considerable yield increment in the leafy corn can be attributed to the fact that the leafy gene produce twice leaf area in corn. Internodes length reduced in leafy hybrids due to increasing leaf number without plant height increment. The maximum and minimum grain yield were for b2*a4 leafy hybrid (10.22 t/ha) and SC108 non-leafy commercial corn (6.37 t/ha) respectively. Generally, b7*a4 and b2*a4 leafy hybrids produced the most biomass and leafy hybrid b2*a4 had the most grain yield.