Abstract
Spike fertility index (SF) has been proposed as a promising trait to be used as a selection criterion in wheat breeding programs aimed at increasing grain yield, but no actual evidence of its successful application has been reported. In this study, 146 recombinant inbred lines derived from a cross between ‘Baguette 10’ and ‘Klein Chaja’, Argentinean spring bread wheat cultivars with contrasting SF, were evaluated during three crop seasons (2013, 2014 and 2015) at Balcarce, Argentina. Grain yield, grain number/m2, grain weight, and SF were measured at maturity. Changes in grain yield (i.e., responses to selection) after application of different selection strategies, including different selection criteria and selection intensities, were determined. Significant correlations were observed between grain number and grain yield, SF and grain yield, and SF and grain weight. Analysis of SF variance components showed a significant genotype × environment interaction, but it represented only 9% of the total variation, whereas 51% of the variation was genetic, resulting in a high narrow-sense heritability (0.84). The use of SF as a selection criterion, either solely or in combination with selection for high yield, increased yield, resulting in higher and more stable yields than if selecting for high yield alone. Our findings support the use of spike fertility index as a selection criterion for increasing genetic progress and stability of yield in bread wheat breeding programs.
Highlights
Bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) is one of the most important crops in the world
The aim of this study was to determine the mode of the inheritance of spike fertility’’ index (SF) and effect of selection for high SF on yield and yield components in advanced lines from an actual breeding program, in order to establish whether SF can serve as an effective selection criterion in bread wheat breeding programs aimed at increasing grain yield
The recombinant inbred lines (RILs) population was derived from ‘Baguette 10’ (B10) 9 ‘Klein Chaja’ (KCJ), Argentinean spring bread wheat cultivars with contrasting SF, and released in 2000 and 2002, respectively
Summary
Given the current and future scenario of increased global demand for grains, breeding efforts will concentrate on improving grain yield (CIMMYT 2017). 112 Page 2 of 12 specific and efficient selection criteria, which are associated with yield but are amenable to high throughput application in breeding programs, is of utmost importance. Breeding efforts in raising grain yield have mainly focused on increasing grain number per unit area (Austin 1982; Slafer and Andrade 1989; Slafer et al 1990), as this continues to be the component that best explains yield variation (Slafer et al 1990; Abbate et al 1998; Borras et al 2004; Shearman et al 2005; Elıa et al 2016; Ferrante et al 2017; Lynch et al 2017). Its low heritability and high genotype by environment interaction limit genetic progress attainable in this trait by conventional breeding
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