Breeding for Improved Germination Under Water Stress, and Genetic Analyses of Flowering Habit and Male Sterility in Russian Dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz)

Abstract

Russian dandelion (Taraxacum kok-saghyz Rodin) may serve as a new source of natural rubber; however, domestication of the species is required for cultivation. This research focused on vital issues related to crop development, including improving germination under water-stress, and determining inheritance of flowering habit and male sterility. Three cycles of phenotypic and half-sib family recurrent selection increased germination 34.5% and 42.5%, and reduced germination time 3 and 5 d, respectively, for seeds incubated at low water potential. Phenotypic segregation of progeny from crosses between spring-type and winter-type plants and between male sterile and male-fertile plants suggested that three major loci control flowering habit and cytoplasmic male sterility can be restored to fertility by a nuclear restorer of fertility gene. These results demonstrate that Russian dandelion has potential to be adapted as a crop for rubber production in North America.