Variation of the genomic proportion of the recurrent parent in BC1and its relation to yield performance in sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) breeding for low-input conditions

Abstract

In order to define the variation of the genomic proportion of the recurrent parent [G(RP)] and its relation to yield, G(RP) of individual BC1 plants of two sorghum populations composed of a high-yielding cultivar as recurrent parent (RP) and a donor with superior drought resistance or grain quality, respectively, was estimated using AFLPs and SSRs. G(RP) in BC1 ranged from 0.53 to 0.95 and averaged to 0.76 in the population (NP4453 × ‘SV-2’) × ‘SV-2’. G(RP) varied between 0.60 and 0.86 and averaged to 0.74 in the BC1 of (ICV-219 × ‘SV-2’) × ‘SV-2’. Results show that plants with a G(RP) equivalent to BC2 (0.875) or BC3 (0.938), respectively, can be selected from BC1. Yield performance of BC1S1 families was tested in field trials carried out in South Africa. The correlation between yield and G(RP) in BC1 was low. Selection according to G(RP) did not result in an effective preselection for yield.