Consistency of Rank Correlations of Peanut Breeding Lines for Market Grade Characteristics and Yield

Abstract

The genetic potential of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) breeding lines for pod yield can only be determined after testing in several environments. Limited data are published on the influence of the environment on peanut market grade characteristics. The objective of this study was to determine the amount of evaluation needed to rank market‐grade characteristics in peanut. Rank correlations for pod yield, 100‐ seed weight, shelling percentage, and total sound mature kernel (TSMK) proportion were calculated between replications, between harvest dates, and between locations for a range of genotypes in 60 tests. Rank correlations for pod yield between locations ranged from −0.48 to 0.77 and were not significant in more than half the tests. Shelling percentage correlations ranged from 0.69 to 0.96 and 100‐seed weight correlations ranged from 0.78 to 0.98 and were all highly significant. The TSMK correlations were less frequently significant and ranged from 0.39 to 0.90. Similar observations were made between replications and between harvest dates. Thus, relative genotypic expression in peanut for seed weight and shelling percentage is consistent in different environments. Decisions to discard or retain peanut lines in a breeding program may be based on acceptable seed size or shelling percentage after limited testing.