Yield of Brassica napus L. hybrids developed using resynthesized rapeseed material sown at different locations

The utilisation of resynthesized Brassica napus (RS) genotypes in commercial breeding programmes is restricted to the development of intraspecific hybrids, so-called semi-synthetic rapeseed, and backcross progenies. In order to determine the general combining ability (GCA) of different rapeseed material, nine high-erucic acid RS lines and three old spring rapeseed cultivars were used as pollinators of male sterile double-low spring rapeseed lines (MSL-system). Yield performance of the single-cross hybrids was tested in a multi-location field trial that revealed a high yield potential of semi-synthetic rapeseed hybrids based on RS lines. The use of such resynthesized rapeseed forms in developing rapeseed hybrids and their possible use in future oilseed breeding is discussed. (c) 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.