Abstract
The development of cultivars with reduced pericarp thickness, high sugar content and husks covering ear tip will improve the market for Brazilian sweet corn and may open a new market for export. The knowledge of parent-offspring relationship helps to choose a breeding method, to decide selection intensity, and to predict genetic gains for the traits under selection. The objective of this work was to estimate heritability for pericarp thickness, soluble solids content and percent of ear tip in three open-pollinated sweet corn populations - BR400, BR401, and BR402 - using half and full-sib families. Genetic variability was detected for all traits in the evaluated populations. The estimated heritability for pericarp thickness was larger than those estimated for soluble solids content, and percent of ear tip for all populations in this study. As a consequence, the expected genetic gains will be larger for pericarp thickness than for the other traits evaluated in this work.
Highlights
Sweet corn has similar requirements for agronomic traits when compared to field corn
In order to develop sweet corn cultivars with thin pericarp, high soluble solids content, and complete husk covering the existence of genetic variability for these traits is fundamental in segregating populations
This paper aimed at estimating heritability and genetic gains for pericarp thickness, soluble solids content, and husk covering in three Brazilian sweet corn populations
Summary
Sweet corn has similar requirements for agronomic traits when compared to field corn. A thin pericarp, high soluble solids content, mainly composed of glycose, fructose, and sucrose, and good husk covering are important in sweet corn cultivars (Tracy, 1997). The first two traits limit commercialization in the international market, mainly when extra sugar is added during sweet corn processing (Tracy, 1997). Complete husk covering provides resistance to earworm attack (Lynch et al, 1999; Gardner et al, 2000). In order to develop sweet corn cultivars with thin pericarp, high soluble solids content, and complete husk covering the existence of genetic variability for these traits is fundamental in segregating populations. A correct estimate of this parameter guides the choice of breeding method and selection intensity to be used for each trait; as well allowing an estimation of the genetic gains to be obtained (Carvalho et al, 1981)
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