Genetic distance and its association with heterosis and performance of hybrids on oat

Abstract

The objective of this work was to assess genetic dissimilarity effect, as determined by morphological traits and molecular markers, on heterosis and heterobeltiosis in oat hybrids. Five parent lines were crossed in a diallelic design, disregarding reciprocal hybrids. No linear relationship among means of genetic dissimilarity was established, possibly due to: an incomplete genomic description, when morphological data were analyzed; absence of linkage among genes controlling the measured characters and markers employed; or the fact that the different chromosome regions, accessed by the markers, showed differences in their contributions to performance and heterosis of F₁. Furthermore, regarding grain yield, both measurements determined by morphological traits and molecular markers do not show significant relationship with hybrids performance, heterosis or heterobeltiosis.