Selection and breeding experiments at the haploid level in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract

Selection at the haploid level allows increasing the efficiency of recurrent selection procedures. After four cycles of a recurrent selection approach involving haploid plants, grain yield of a synthetic population, SPC4, was at the same level as that of current commercial hybrids. The SPC4 population had a good performance in comparison with 27 synthetic populations obtained from Iowa State University. Transgressive segregation for plant height and ear length was revealed at the haploid level in two single crosses. It was demonstrated that the utilization of haploid plants to identify, create and improve elite breeding material might be very efficient. Key words: Zea mays, haploids, recurrent selection, synthetic populations, hybrids, transgressive segregation.