Inheritance of Seed Coat Color of Ethiopian Mustard (Brassica carinata A. Braun).

The inheritance of seed coat color in Brassica carinata was investigated in F₁, F₂, F₃ and backcross progenies from a cross of a pure breeding brown seeded line and a pure breeding yellow seeded line. Seed coat color in B. carinata displayed a maternal inheritance. Seed coat color segregated from brown to light yellow-brown and yellow. An incomplete dominance of seed coat color was observed that resulted a light yellow-brown seed color in the heterozygous condition. Monogenic inheritance was found for seed coat color gene, with yellow color trait was dominant over brown color trait. The translucent and colorless seed coat makes the yellow embryo visible resulted yellow seed, which is controlled by recessive gene(s) in other Brassica species. The dominant nature of the yellow seed trait in B. carinata has been explained as an interaction between seed coat color gene and dominant repressor (Rp) gene. The Rp gene repress the function of seed coat color gene resulted translucent and colorless seed coat i.e. yellow seed coat in B. carinata. The development of molecular marker for seed coat color gene/or repressor gene is in progress.