Genetic parameters estimates associated to conversion of nicotine to nornicotine in burley tobacco

Abstract

Nicotine represents the predominant alkaloid in cultivated tobacco. In burley varieties, during senescence and curing of leaves, nicotine can be converted to nornicotine, which is highly undesirable because of its relationship with the tobacco specific nitrosamines formation. Thus, an alternative for producing varieties with low or null nornicotine content would be to select plants or progenies for traits related to nicotine conversion. Therefore, understanding genetic control and inheritance underlying this process is important to chooseappropriate strategies in breeding programs. Two contrasting inbred lines for nicotine conversion to nornicotine, TN 90 and BY 37, have been crossed to obtain the segregating generations (F2 and BCs). Genetic parameters of mean and variance, as well as the average degree of dominance and heritability were estimated. It has been found that nicotine conversion has predominantly additive effects, and in addition, narrow sense heritabilities at the individual level were higher than 65%. Both are desirable conditions for conducting a selection program of burley tobacco aiming at development of inbred lines associating yield and other traits with low or null nicotine conversion.