I am curious about the relationship between the hull size and grain size. Usually big hulls give big grains, which suggests that hull size is a determinator of grain size. My question would be the genetic regulation of grain size is completely depend on hull size or there has independent way? Any answers and references recommended will be appreciated.
For looking at this review the literature about grain crop domestication Jack Harlan and Dewet from the Crop Evolution Laboratory at the University of Illinois for example and the background concepts.
Our fore fathers looked at increasing the size of seed and its ability to cleanly separate for their use. These characteristics can be seen in wild sorghum and grain sorghum cross the domestic traits appear to be mostly recessive are under cover in the hybrid and the domesticated types emerge as segregating types in the F2 generation.
Hulls serve in the grain protection mechanism and defensive traits can have an energy cost if they are removed resources can go strictly to commercial value. For this reason the modern varieties are favoring dwarf varieties to maximize the portion of yield as grain. It also allows higher fertility input without the lodging of the grain crop.
When these traits are used they can also make plants weaker is some aspect because generally the defensive characters are based in root systems. Breeding out defensive characters can also lead to dependency on costly inputs to prop up the plant production.
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