Genetic Analysis of Chemical Components Related to Oxalate Accumulation in Spinach Through Diallel Cross

Spinach is one of the most important vegetables consumed in the world. Despite spinach high nutritional value, the accumulation of non-nutritive compound oxalate is considered one of the main challenges in the production of this plant. Moving towards the production of cultivars of this plant that have less oxalate accumulation, or a neuter form of oxalate accumulation in terms of nutritional hygiene, is considered one of the modern breeding goals. The present study was conducted with the aim of introducing and explaining the action of genes involved in creating the total oxalate accumulation trait in the form of a 7x7 complete diallel cross. Heritability of total, soluble and insoluble oxalate, and ascorbic acid as the main components in oxalate accumulation were evaluated using the first method of model I of Griffing's. In addition to confirming the possibility of successful interspecific crosses in spinach, the obtained results showed that total oxalate was controlled by genetic factors by more than 50%, and the possibility of its improvement in the next first generations after applying breeding methods is certain. Ultimately, based on the obtained Baker's coefficient results (0.43), both of the gene actions, additional and dominance, are almost equally effective in creating this trait, although the tendency towards dominance is more. Hence, it can be concluded that the approach towards modification through hybridization, in order to produce new cultivars, is preferred to modification by selection methods.