Abstract
The continuous gains in cycles of recurrent selection have raised disagreement among researchers. Two hundred and forty-two full-sib families were obtained from CIMMYT and Piranao populations and evaluated in a simple lattice design in two environments to estimate the response to selection in the 11 th cycle of the UENF reciprocal recurrent selection program. No genotype x environment interaction was observed for most of the traits evaluated, indicating that a single recurrent selection program can be conducted for both sites. The population studied exhibited wide genotypic variability and heritability estimates ranged from 33 to 73%, indicating prospects of selection gain for the following cycles. The predicted genetic gain in yield was 12.90%. It is possible to conclude that the populations studied may be promising for the achievement of new selection cycles, which provides a continuous concentration of favorable alleles and the production of hybrids for the North and Northwest regions of the state of Rio de Janeiro.
Highlights
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a product of high economic importance
Significant differences were observed between the genotypes evaluated for most traits studied (Table 2), except for PH, HE and NDE. These results indicate that genotypic variability exists in the population studied and that genetic gains can be achieved for the current cycle and in subsequent cycles of recurrent selection
The lack of significant differences for PH, HE and NDE is consistent with the expectations for recurrent selection, since these populations have been subjected to 10 selection cycles, and priority was given to the decrease in these traits
Summary
Maize (Zea mays L.) is a product of high economic importance. It is grown in almost all agricultural regions of the world for food, for animal feed and, recently, as a source of biofuel (FUZATTO et al, 2002). Brazil is the third largest producer of maize, surpassed only by the United States and China (FAO, 2011). The production of maize in Brazil has significantly increased in recent years. The economic progress in Northern and Northwestern State of Rio de Janeiro was associated with agriculture, almost exclusively. Local agriculture is stagnant and dependent on new alternatives for profitable cultivation, which justified the development of a maize breeding program, aimed at producing cultivars with superior traits and adapted to the conditions of the region
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