Abstract
Abstract This study evaluated the genetic potential of parents used in sugarcane genetic breeding programs based on the performance of previously conducted single crosses. The average selection rate of each family, predicted using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP) procedure, was used as a surrogate to the cross performance in the initial evaluation phase. Data analysis was performed using Griffing’s method IV adapted for the available set of crosses to detail the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) effects. Significant GCA effects were detected, which demonstrated the possibility of selecting parents based on this parameter. SCA had a higher coefficient of determination than GCA. In conclusion, the selection rate is an effective indicator for evaluation of the combining ability of parents in the first selection stage of a sugarcane breeding program.
Highlights
Sugarcane genetic breeding has become a decisive factor in sugar alcohol industry development in Brazil, with considerable selection gains over the years and regular release of new cultivars (Barbosa et al 2012, Ramalho et al 2012, Daros 2014, Iaia et al 2014, Melo et al 2014, Barbosa et al 2015, Carneiro et al 2015).New sugarcane cultivars are obtained by vegetative propagation of selected genotypes, which are obtained by sexual reproduction of suitable parents
This study evaluated the genetic potential of sugarcane parents based on the general combining ability (GCA) estimates using the selection rates of previously generated single-cross families
The selection rate varied considerably between RIDESA member institutions depending on the purpose of each program, the experimental area, the material availability, the subjective evaluation of the breeder, and the year and site in which the materials were evaluated in stage T1
Summary
Sugarcane genetic breeding has become a decisive factor in sugar alcohol industry development in Brazil, with considerable selection gains over the years and regular release of new cultivars (Barbosa et al 2012, Ramalho et al 2012, Daros 2014, Iaia et al 2014, Melo et al 2014, Barbosa et al 2015, Carneiro et al 2015).New sugarcane cultivars are obtained by vegetative propagation of selected genotypes, which are obtained by sexual reproduction of suitable parents. Selection based on phenotypic evaluations of individual plants is commonly performed in the early stages of genetic breeding programs (Barbosa et al 2005, Matsuoka et al 2005). This study evaluated the genetic potential of sugarcane parents based on the GCAs estimates using the selection rates of previously generated single-cross families.
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