Inheritance of Rest Period of Seeds in the Peanut


No. 3 and No. 13. Deficiencies in q and q' would appear to be
associated with strain No. 14. The significance of these defi-
ciencies, especially in q and q', in relation to abnormal associa-
tions in meiosis noted by Husted (8) must not be overlooked.
However, they would seem to be adequately and more simply
explained by a weakening effect of the recessive genes in both
the gametic and zygotic stages. Examination of pollen in mono-
hybrid families has shown no plants with less than 95 percent
of normal appearing grains and little variation in the amount
of aborted pollen. Segregating plants are frequently slightly
less productive than true breeding, green plants. However,
no significant differences between true green, dihybrid, and
monohybrid F2 plants or families have been found. It is possible
that the indeterminate blooming and fruiting habit of the plant
enables it to eliminate largely the effect of a considerable pro-
portion of aborted ovules.

 VALENCIA PLANT TYPE
 It was stated previously that the Valencia group of peanuts
differs from other American types in its very sparse branching
habit and by commonly producing three or four seeds in a pod.
Chevalier (2) has assembled the varieties having many-seeded
pods into a principal variety, stenocarpa. He lists Tennessee
Red and Tennessee White but omits Valencia which, as known
in America,. should be included, as should Porte Alegre from
Brazil. Chevalier also describes two African forms with many-
seeded pods. One is stated to have few branches which are long,
slender, and prostrate. Both are low yielding, which is a com-
mon character of sparsely branched types. Perhaps both are
sparsely branched. If so, sparse branching and many-seeded
fruits are constantly associated in all known varieties which
possess either character. The two characters have appeared to
assort independently in crosses of Valencia or Tennessee Red
with Spanish or runner strains.
 Sparsely branched peanuts frequently have a central stem
or rachis in the fruiting cluster several inches in length. Some-
times a few small leaves are found at the tip. Fruit stalks are
borne singly and alternately along this stem. The typical in-
florescence of peanuts as described by botanists and found in
other forms is a reduced head. The fruit cluster consists of
one to four ovary stalks with sessile attachment. Plants having
the central stem in the fruiting cluster and sparse branching