Selection for Dry Bean Yield On‐Station Versus On‐Farm Conventional and Organic Production Systems

Abstract

ABSTRACTHigh yielding cultivars adapted to conventional and organic production system would maximize efficiency of nutrient usage and reduce dependence on pesticides. The objective of this study was to determine if separate breeding efforts are needed to obtain high yielding dry bean breeding lines for on‐farm organic (FO) and on‐farm conventional (FC) production systems. The six highest yielding breeding lines selected from each of FO, FC, and on‐station conventional (SC) production systems in two populations (1WS, 2WS) and their parents were evaluated for days to maturity, 100‐seed weight, and seed yield in 2007 and 2008. The production system and genotype effects were significant (P ≤ 0.01) for all three traits. Seed yield gains were between 10.5% in FC and 15.0% in SC in 1WS and between 6.2% in FO and 21.0% in SC in 2WS. Seed yield of breeding lines selected in SC was higher than those selected in FC and FO when tested across the three production systems. The SC seed yield was positively associated with seed yield in FC and FO in 2WS and with seed yield in FC in 1WS. The FC and FO seed yields were positively associated only in 2WS. The highest yielding breeding lines within and across the three PS varied by the production system in which they were selected. Thus, breeding high yielding cultivars in SC or FC may serve FO in some populations, whereas a separate breeding for FO and FC may be justified in other populations if the accompanying seed yield gains would off‐set the added costs involved in the production system specific breeding.