Florida Agricultural Experiment Station


TABLE 7.-ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE OF DAYS FROM PLANTING TO EMERGENCE
IN THE F. SEEDS OF TWO MOST DORMANT F2 FAMILIES FROM CROSS 1 x 14.
 Degrees of Sum of Mean
 Source of variation freedom squares square
F2 family No. 75
 Total ................................... 564 4,541,066.62 8,051.54
 Between F2 families ............ 16 978,490.15 61,155.63
 Within .......... ............. .. 548 3,562,576.47 6,501.05

 F* = 61,155.63/6,501.05 = 9.41; F(0.05) = 1.6, F(0.01) = 2.0

F2 family No. 77
 Total ..................................... 311 10,085,143.59 32,428.11
 Between Fs families ....... 12 850,112.33 70,842.69
 W within ................................. 299 9,235,031.26 30,886.39

 F* = 70,842.69/30,886.39 = 2.29; F(0.05) = 1.79, F(0.01) = 2.24
 larger mean square
 *F= Snedecor (15).
 smaller mean square

 7. Rest period behavior is unique among other quantitative
characters of the peanut. Seven other characters in the same
cultures, with one exception, have generally symmetrical dis-
tributions. Distributions of seed cells (ovules) per plant are
markedly skewed to the left but much less so than those of
rest period. Hayes (6) presents six distributions from the F2
generation of one cross, four of which are symmetrical. Num-
ber of seeds is distributed similarly as seed cells in the present
cultures.: Hayes classed number of hairs on petiole in six grades
by observation and derived a distribution slightly skewed to the
right but actual counts might have produced symmetry.
 All of these features of rest period behavior are in close agree-
ment with expectation of the theory proposed above. Regression
of rest period on the underlying seed condition and consequently
on genotype becomes discontinuous at zero rest period and ger-
mination threshold near supposed mid-points of the ranges of
seed condition and genotype. The only argument that has ap-
peared against this interpretation is the absence of premature
germination which may be inhibited by a separate mechanism.
It may also be difficult to understand the economy of a system