Jan. 5, 1924 
Seed-Color Inheritance in Sorghum Crosses 
55 
The writer is indebted to Dr. Carleton R. Ball for examining the seeds 
of several different introductions of white-seeded kaoliangs from China. 
He determines that two closely related varieties having black glumes and 
white seeds, namely, Barchet (C. I. 310, S. P. I. 22912) and Korean 
Blackhull (C. I. 412, S. P. I. 27553) both possess a brown nucellar layer 
like that of feterita. On the other hand, Brill Blackhull (C. I. 120, S. 
P. I. 17920), Mukden White (C. I. 190 and 272, S. P. I. 18610 and 21077), 
and an unclassified white-seeded variety (C. I. 350, S. P. I. 29166) show 
no trace of a brown nucellar layer. He reports also that the seeds of 
the varieties having the brown layer are whiter and more chalky in appear¬ 
ance than those not showing it, thus resembling feterita seeds, while the 
others more nearly resemble kafir seeds. 
EXPERIMENTAL RESULTS 
SUNRISE KAFIR X FETERITA AND THE RECIPROCAL CROSS 
Reciprocal crosses were made between Sunrise kafir and feterita in 
1919. A number of crossed seeds were obtained, all of which resembled 
the pistillate parent, there being no indication of xenia. Some of these 
seeds were sown in 1920, and several of the resulting Fj heads were 
selfed. The seed produced on the Fj plants was tan or light brown, 
with a brown nucellar layer similar to that of feterita. As neither of 
the parents had brown seeds, the production of brown seeds in the F t 
was not expected. 
Table I .—Distribution of seed-color in the F 2 generation of the cross Sunrise kafir 
X feterita , and its reciprocal 
i 
Plants. 
Designation. 
Year. 
i 
| 
Total 
number. 
Having seeds wi 
Brown nucellar layer 
present. 
ith— 
Brown 
nucellar 
layer 
absent, 
seeds 
white. 
Seeds 
brown. 
Seeds 
white. 
Sunrise kafir X feterita. 
1921 
179 
Ill 
29 
39 
Do. 
1921 
I 45 
8 5 
26 
34 
Feterita X Sunrise kafir. 
1921 
19 3 
hi 
33 
49 
Sunrise kafir X feterita. 
1922 
156 
100 
24 
3 2 
Feterita X Sunrise kafir. 
1922 
172 
93 
3 i 
48 
Do. 
1922 
174 
IOI 
34 
39 
Do. 
1922 
163 
97 
34 
3 2 
Total. 
1,182 
698 
211 
273 
Calculated (9:3:4 ratio). 
664.9 
221.6 
295-5 
Deviation. 
33 -i 
10.6 
22. s 
■!' 
Seeds from two of the F A heads of Sunrise kafir X feterita and one 
head of the reciprocal cross were sown in head rows in 1921. Prelim¬ 
inary counts of the F 2 heads in the plat showed clearly that the seed- 
color character was influenced by more than one factor. When mature, 
one head was harvested from each plant for a study of seed color. The 
F 2 heads of these crosses were readily placed in three groups according 
