Abstract
Participatory selection—exploiting specific adaptation traits to target environments—helps to guarantees yield stability in a changing climate, in particular under low-input or organic production. The purpose of the present study was to identify reliable, low-cost, fast and easy-to-use tools to complement traditional selection for an effective participatory improvement of maize populations for drought resistance/tolerance. The morphological and eco-physiological responses to progressive water deprivation of four maize open-pollinated populations were assessed in both controlled and field conditions. Thermography and Chl a fluorescence, validated by gas exchange indicated that the best performing populations under water-deficit conditions were ‘Fandango’ and to a less extent ‘Pigarro’ (both from participatory breeding). These populations showed high yield potential under optimal and reduced watering. Under moderate water stress, ‘Bilhó’, originating from an altitude of 800 m, is one of the most resilient populations. The experiments under chamber conditions confirmed the existence of genetic variability within ‘Pigarro’ and ‘Fandango’ for drought response relevant for future populations breeding. Based on the easiness to score and population discriminatory power, the performance index (PIABS) emerges as an integrative phenotyping tool to use as a refinement of the common participatory maize selection especially under moderate water deprivation.
Highlights
Conventional plant breeding has been efficient in increasing the yield of most major crops, especially under favorable environments [1]
When we look in detail to the effect of the progression of water deficits on morpho or eco-physiological traits that might influence final yield, the ‘Bilhó’ population stands out at moderate stress level
Based on the easiness to score and population discriminatory power, the performance index performance index expressed on absorption basis (PIABS) emerges in our conditions as an integrative and nondestructive phenotyping method for participatory maize selection under field conditions
Summary
Conventional plant breeding has been efficient in increasing the yield of most major crops, especially under favorable environments [1]. Conventional plant breeding was less successful in traditional low-input or organic farming systems in which more severe stress conditions are experienced [3]. In this context, participatory plant breeding (PPB) programs are arising worldwide as an alternative solution [4] to meet the needs of small-scale farmers normally overlooked by conventional breeding. Portugal was one of the first European countries to adopt maize more than five centuries ago, and is characterized by its great diversity of historical maize populations that can still be found under cultivation [3,6] In this way, Portuguese maize populations (Open-Pollinated Varieties—OPVs) are still evolving and adapting both to the local environment and human uses, namely, to bread production (‘breadability’) [7]
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