Genetic Control of Fiber Yield and Quality in Kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.)

The study was conducted to investigate the ge-netic basis of kenaf fiber yield and quality In two sets of generations derived from 1X51 x Gha-na07 and Gregg x Ghana07 crosses. Analysis of generation means using weighted least squares procedure was performed on stalk dry weight, bast percentage, days to flowering, plant height, and basal stalk diameter . Analysis of generation means revealed that bast percentage was mainly controlled by dominance effects whereas stalk dry weight was mainly controlled by additive ef-fects. Estimates of heterosis based on mid-parental values were generally high and ranged from 10 to 55% for stalk dry weight and bast per-centage. Estimates of inbreeding depression, calculated from F1 and F2 generation means, were 55% for stalk dry weight in Population 1 and 43% in Population 2. Estimates of inbreeding depression for bast percentage were 5% in Population 1 and 15% in Population 2. The results of this study indicated that the portion of phenotypicvariations,which is controlled by addi-tive gene effects, was generally high for stalk dry weight. Thus, selectingthe segregating genera-tions would lead to significant improvement of fiber yield.