Geographical distribution and genetic analysis of phenol color reaction in foxtail millet, Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv.

Phenol color reaction was examined in a total of 376 strains of foxtail millet, Setaria italica (L.) P. Beauv., collected from different areas throughout Eurasia. Positive and negative phenotypes, and no intermediate type could be recognized by the phenol color reaction. Of 376 strains examined, 50 were positive, 319 were negative, five were mixtures of both phenotypes, and the coloration in two strains with blackish lemmata and paleae could not be distinguished. The strains that showed the positive phenotype of phenol color reaction were found in rather limited regions, while those with the negative phenotype occurred in almost all the regions. The positive phenotype occurred more frequently in the lower latitudinal regions of Asia. Genetic analysis of the F1 and F2 generations between the two phenotypes showed that the phenol color reaction is controlled by a single gene, and that the positive phenotype is dominant.