Genetic analysis of capsule and its associated economic traits in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.).

Four single crosses (VG20 x SGE48, SGE48 x SG35II, VG26 x SG35II, and SG35II x VG20) in opium poppy (Papaver somniferum L.) were analyzed to study the gene actions involved in the inheritance of quantitative traits, namely plant height, branches/plant, capsules/plant, peduncle length, capsule index, stigmatic rays, straw yield/plant, and morphine content. Simple additive, dominance, and epistatic genetic components were found to be significant for inheritance pattern. Dominance effect (h) was higher than additive effect (d). Digenic interaction indicated the prevalence of dominance x dominance (l) followed by additive x dominance (j) type epistasis. The significance of dominance (h) and dominance x dominance (l) indicated duplicate epistasis for all the traits and crosses except SG35II x VG20 for stigmatic rays. Biparental mating followed by recurrent selection involving desired recombinants may be utilized to improve the component traits.