Variation of embryo weight in breeding accessions of carrot

The study was carried out at All-Russian Research Institute of Vegetable Growing (GNU VNIIO) in 2013- 2016. The objects of the study were seeds of carrot taken from variety ‘Rogneda’ regarded as a standard, breeding lines 690V, 690P and 753. The aim of the work was to study the dry weight of carrot-embryos and calculate the main characteristics regarding their variability among different accessions that were obtained through both inbreeding and outbreeding methods. Mean values of the sample for seed embryo weight differed among different carrot accessions and breeding lines in the range from 36.8 μg to 17.0 μg in ‘Rogneda’ and line 753, respectively. Moreover, there is no strong derivation of mean value from median within each sample of the breeding line was observed. The derivation of mean value from median was 0.2 μg in ‘Rogneda’. The least embryo weight 14.0 μg was observed in breeding lines. The coefficient of variation for embryo weight varied in the range from 10.4 to 14.2 and reached 25.1 % in ‘Rogneda’. The method of maximum likelihood was used to reveal correspondences of experimental function of distribution in embryo weight in seed population of accessions studied and normal distribution. Statistical high-order moments (asymmetry and excess) of sample in carrot had insignificant shift. The highest values of asymmetry and excess were observed for selected measurements of embryo weight in breeding line 690V. The experimental data observed may lead to previous conclusions about significant difference among four carrot accessions in embryo weight and its character of variability. Thus, such a main morphological element-the embryo-in the seed is also very probably subjected to the strong inbreeding depression. Morphometrical parameter of embryo weight may be interesting not only for seed production and seed study, but also for breeding program, and regarded as an inherited trait that can be improved.