Prediction of popcorn hybrid and composite means

R.M Rangel,S.P Freitas Júnior,A.P Viana,M.G Pereira,A.T Amaral Júnior

doi:10.12702/1984-7033.v07n03a08

Abstract

The objectives of this study were to evaluate the combining ability of 10 popcorn populations in a circulant diallel; to test the viability of superior hybrids; and to identify genetic composites for intrapopulation breeding. In four contrasting environments, 30 treatments were evaluated for grain yield (GY), plant height (PLH) and popping expansion (PE), in a random block design with four replications. Results indicated that the evaluation of treatments in a larger group of environments favors the expression of variability in genotypes. The additive effects for PE and the dominance effects for GY and PLH were highest. GY and PE of the combinations UNB2U-C1 x Angela and Braskalb x Angela were outstanding. The predicted mean PE and GY were highest for hybrid UNB2U-C1 x Angela and the composite formed by these parents (26.54 mL g -1 and 1,446.09 kg ha -1 respectively).

Highlights

Popcorn is a crop of high economic value and consumption in Brazil is on the rise (Brugnera et al 2003)
For many people that work informally, popcorn is a direct source of family income
According to information of the packaging industry, grain importations have dropped markedly, mainly due to the large-scale use of the modified single hybrid IAC112 (Sawazaki 2001) and of North American hybrids cultivated in the country (Sawazaki et al 2003)

Summary

Introduction

Popcorn is a crop of high economic value and consumption in Brazil is on the rise (Brugnera et al 2003). For being cheap and tasty, always freshly popped for clients and served hot, popcorn is very popular. For many people that work informally, popcorn is a direct source of family income. The commercial planting of popcorn in Brazil was rather modest and significant grain importations, above all from the USA and Argentina, were necessary (Galvão et al 2000). According to information of the packaging industry, grain importations have dropped markedly, mainly due to the large-scale use of the modified single hybrid IAC112 (Sawazaki 2001) and of North American hybrids cultivated in the country (Sawazaki et al 2003)

Objectives

Methods

Results