Design I of Comstock and Robinson in the Emergence and Vigor of Sour Passion Fruit Seedlings

Abstract

ABSTRACT The objective of this study was to verify the genetic influence of male parents in the expression of emergence and vigor traits of the sour passion fruit seedling, and to select the ones that contributed with the highest selection results. Controlled hybridizations were performed between genotypes of the Sour Passion Fruit Breeding Program of the Universidade Federal de Viçosa (UFV) and commercial cultivars of the Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa e Agropecuária (Embrapa) according to Design I of Comstock and Robinson. The experiment was conducted in a completely randomized design with 24 treatments and four replications (50 seeds). The number of emerged seedlings was calculated daily to calculate emergence percentage and emergence speed index, total length of seedling (cm), length of shoot (cm) and length of main root (cm), seedling dry mass and weight of 100 seeds. The analysis of variance was performed using the Hierarchical Design Model I of Comstock and Robinson, and the combined selection for estimation of genetic gains using GENES statistical program. The Design I of Comstock and Robinson was appropriate to predict the genetic values of seedling emergence and vigor traits. Selection gains were high for the traits such as, weight of 100 seeds and dry mass per seedling. Male parents 2 and 6 were selected for most combinations.