Evaluation of maize plant introductions for cold tolerance

Summary We evaluated cold-tolerance responses of 144 plant introductions (PI) of maize (Zea mays L.), attempting to include in our sample at least one PI adapted to each of the countries or ecological zones respresented in the maize germplasm collection at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station at Ames, Iowa, USA. Plant introductions were grown for 42 days in plastic boxes (26 cm long × 19 cm wide × 10 cm deep) in a growth chamber maintained at 10±1 °C. Cold-tolerance responses of each PI were evaluated by three traits: 1) percentage emergence (recorded 30 days after planting), 2) emergence index, an estimate of rate of emergence, and 3) seedling dry weight (sampled 42 days after planting). Estimates of variances and heritabilities for these three traits were large, suggesting that genotypic variation for cold tolerance in the maize germplasm collection would be sufficient to permit selection advance. Furthermore, genotypic correlations among the three traits were high: therefore, improvement by index selection should be possible. Correlations between the cold-tolerance traits and days from planting to 50% silk emergence (an estimate of maturity obtained at Ames. Iowa, USA) were low. Days from planting to 50% silking emergence for the 25 most cold-tolerant PI's ranged from 46 for PI 214279 from Canada to 106 for PI 331440 from Ethiopia. It should be possible, therefore, to develop cold-tolerant genotypes adapted to all latitudes.Contribution from the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011, and the Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, cooperating. Journal Paper No. J-8780 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Projects No. 1018 and 2152     

Inheritance of photosynthesis in a diallel among eight maize inbred lines from Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic

Summary Photosynthesis is a trait that should be improved in a selection program for yield potential of maize (Zea mays L.). We measured leaf CO₂-exchange rate (CER), an estimate of photosynthetic efficiency, of a complete diallel (parents, F₁ crosses, and their reciprocals) among eight inbred lines (4 with low and 4 with high CER) from the Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic maize population. Measurements were made during vegetative (CER 1) and grain filling (CER 2) stages of growth, and the experiment was conducted two years at one location. We measured large differences among crosses and significant heterosis for high CER at CER 1 (0.0 to 25.1%) and CER 2 (0.0 to 53.8%). Several crosses exhibited overdominant phenotypes for high CER at both growth stages, and one cross showed significant overdominance for low CER at CER 1. General combining ability effects (gca) were the largest components of among-cross variation at both CER 1 and CER 2. Specific combining ability (sca) also was significant at both growth stages, but gca effects were 9.4 and 4.8 times larger than sca effects at CER 1 and CER 2, respectively. Furthermore, high CER lines showed positive gca effects, and low CER lines showed negative gca effects at each stage. Maternal and reciprocal effects were not significant; thus, CER in these crosses was controlled largely by additive effects of nuclear genes. A high positive genotypic correlation (r=0.74) between CER 1 and CER 2 suggested that selection at either growth stage would improve CER throughout the growing season.Journal Paper No. J-9023 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1990.     

Estimates of selection parameters associated with harvest index in oat lines derived from a bulk population

Summary Harvest index of grain crops is defined as grain yield divided by total plant yield. We estimated the heritability percentages of harvest index and its components, grain yield and plant weight, the genotypic and phenotypic correlations among these three traits, and the genotypic correlations of harvest index with plant height, 100-seed weight, grain number, and heading date by using a population of 1200 F₉-derived oat lines tested in six environments. Furthermore, we examined the relative selection efficiencies of indirect selection for yield through harvest index and of index selection for yield through yield plus harvest index.Heritability percentages were computed by use of variance-component, standard-unit, and realizedheritability methods. The heritability percentages for harvest index, grain yield, and plant weight were similar, and averaged between 50 and 65 precent across environments. Standard-unit and realized heritability percentages agreed closely and generally were lower than those computed via the variance-component method. Expected heritability percentages for harvest index calculated by using grain and plant yield data agreed almost exactly with actual values. Genotypic correlations were 0.88 between grain yield and plant weight, 0.42 between harvest index and grain yield, and –0.07 between harvest index and plant weight. Genotypic and phenotipic correlations were similar in magnitude. Theoretical and actual genotypic and phenotypic correlations of harvest index with grain yield and plant weight agreed closely. Genotypic correlations, computed via parent-offspring relationships, between harvest index and plant height, 100-seed weight, grain number, and heading date averaged –0.41, 0.43, 0.00, and –0.33 respectively.Indirect selection for grain yield through harvest index was 43 percent as efficient as direct selection, and a selection index that combined harvest index and grain yield was no more efficient than direct selection for yield. Harvest index had little value as a selection criterion for grain yield improvement when unrestricted selection was used. Indirect selection for grain yield through harvest index, however, would be expected to retain lines with a more favorable combination of yield, plant height and heading date than would unrestricted direct selection for yield.Journal Paper No. J-7914 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economic Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50010, Project No. 1752.     

Use of index selection in recurrent selection programs in maize

Summary Phenotypic and genotypic correlations were examined for four traits in seven populations of maize (Zea mays L.) undergoing recurrent selection. Correlations among grain yield and percentage of grain moisture, root lodging, and stalk lodging were low (|r|<0.3) except for the correlation between grain yield and stalk lodging, which was high and negative. The phenotypic and genotypic correlations agreed well from cycle to cycle within populations. Variation of correlations among populations was not significantly larger than variation among cycles. Heritabilities of these traits generally were high (h²>0.5). Two indices, one that used heritabilities as index weights and one that used relative economic weights (base index) as index weights, were compared with the Smith-Hazel index (optimim index). Relative efficiencies of the two indices, in terms of predicted gains for the individual traits and the composite trait, compared with the Smith-Hazel index, were high. The use of an index in which heritabilities were used as index weights was recommended because:1) the heritabilities were the same as the optimum weights when the traits were uncorrelated, and for the data examined the correlations were low; and 2) heritabilities were computed in routine data analyses and were available at no additional cost.Joint contribution: USDA-SEA-AR and Journal Paper No. 10152 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Project 2194.     

Genetic stability of quantitative characters in successive generations in maize inbred lines

Summary Genetic stability was evaluated in 11 long-time inbred lines of maize (Zea mays L.) by measuring 10 plant, ear, and seed characters in successive generations reproduced by self-pollination in ear-to-row progenies. The lines were reproduced through 10 generations, and the studies were made for generations 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, and 11. All lines had been inbred more than 10 generations before the start of the study. For 106 F-tests among generations, significant variation was observed for 40 tests (P<0.05). Major changes were observed in two inbred lines; in most other cases, the statistically significant changes were too small to be of practical importance.Joint contribution: Plant Science Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Journal Paper No J-7245 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No 1897.     

The utility of hill plots in oat research

From 1955 through 1963, approximately 300,000 hill plots have been used in various experiments in the Iowa small grain research program. When grain yield, plant height, and heading date were measured on the same varieties, the genetic correlations between rod rows and hills were 0.98, 0.96 and 0.96, respectively.The coefficients of variation for plant height, weight per volume, spikelets per panicle, panicles per plant, weight per 100 seeds were similar for rod rows and hills. However, the coefficients of variability for grain yield ranged from 2 to 5 times larger for hills than for rod rows. Competition between varieties in adjacent hills had little effect on the performance of varieties.The best method for planting hill plots is the conventional method opening a hole in the soil about 2 inches deep with a hoe, pouring the seed in the hole, and covering it with soil. Rates of planting influenced the expression of grain yield, panicles per plant, and spikelets per panicle, but not weight per 100 seeds and plant height. Approximately 30 seeds per hill appeared the most desirable planting rate.Journal Paper No. J-5064 of the Iowa Agricultural and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 1176. Received for publication Febr. 23, 1965. In cooperation with the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U. S. Department of Agriculture.Professor of farm crops.     

Large yield differences between reciprocal families of Solanum tuberosum

Summary A number of reports have indicated differences in reciprocal families of Solanum tuberosum when intergroup hybrids were studied. Questions have been raised concerning the potential magnitude, frequency, and genetic basis for such differences. In this study, exact reciprocal crosses were made using parents characterized by different maturities and having different cytoplasmic sources within Solanum tuberosum in order to substantiate previous claims of reciprocal differences and to clarify the nature of such differences.Field trials revealed reciprocal differences which were large and highly significant. Reciprocal yield differences of up to 115% were observed when parents of opposite maturities were used. In seven crosses, the higher-yielding reciprocal always had the higher-yielding parent as the maternal parent. Significant reciprocal differences for flowering and vine maturity were also observed between some families. The F₂ populations were generated for one set of reciprocals and the reciprocal differences in the F₂ generation seemed to be substantially reduced relative to the F₁ generation.It is concluded that the occurrence of large reciprocal differences seems to depend more upon having parents of opposite maturity than upon the taxonomic origin of the parent's cytoplasm. This, in conjunction with the reduced F₂ reciprocal differences, suggests that observed differences may be due to very persistent maternal effects or a type of dauermodification, rather than true cytoplasmic inheritance.Cooperative Investigation of U.S. Department of Agriculture, Science and Education Administration. Agricultural Research and the Wisconsin Agricultural Experiment Station.     

Genetic interrelations among grain quality indicators and agronomic traits for oat

Summary Test weight, seed weight, and groat percentage are three common measures of grain quality for oat (Avena sativa L.). There is considerable disagreement, however, about the utility of each of these traits as measures of grain quality, so it is important to understand the genetic interrelations among them and between them and other agronomic traits. In this study, 50 random F2-derived F3 lines from each of 13 biparental oat crosses were evaluated. Genotypic variances, heritabilities, and genotypic correlations for test weight (TW), seed weight (SW), groat percentage (GP), grain yield (GY), harvest index (HI), plant height (PH), and date of heading (DH) were used to predict and compare direct and indirect gains from single-trait selection. Direct selection was always the most effective method for improving single traits; average predicted improvement of population means was 4% for TW, 10% for SW, 1% for GP, and 14% for GY when 10% selection intensity was applied. Genotypic correlation coefficients, averaged for all crosses, were 0.04 for TW with SW, 0.37 for TW with GP, -0.09 for SW with GP, and 0.29, 0.36, and 0.30 for GY with TW, SW, and GP, respectively. Thus, direct selection for TW, SW, or GP should not greatly affect the other two grain quality indicators. For the seven traits considered, there seemed to be no large advantage or disadvantage, in terms of correlated responses, associated with selection for any of the grain quality indicators.Contribution as Journal Paper No. J-14650 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project No. 2447.     

Changes in morphological and physiological traits associated with recurrent selection for grain yield in maize

Summary Experiments were conducted during the growing seasons of 1975 and 1976 to determine changes in morphological and physiological traits associated with recurrent selection for grain yield in maize (Zea mays L.). Four variety hybrids, BSSS(R)CO x BSCB1(R)CO, BSSS(R)C7 x BSCB1(R)C7 [from a reciprocal recurrent selection program involving Iowa Stiff Stalk Synthetic (BSSS) and Iowa Corn Borer Synthetic #1 (BSCB1)], BS12CO x B14A, and BS12C6 x B14A [from a half-sib selection program involving the open-pollinated variety Alph (BS12) and the inbred tester B14A] were grown at 59 300 and 98 800 plants/ha near Ames, Iowa We obtained data on CO₂-exchange rate (an estimate of photosynthetic rate), grain yield, grain-yield components, flowering dates, maturity traits, light interception and use, shelling percentage, harvest index, and various other plant traits.CO₂-exchange rate did not change appreciably with recurrent selection for yield. Grain yield per hectare and per plant were larger for the improved than unimproved hybrids. Grain-yield components did not change significantly with recurrent selection. Kernel weight of BSSS(R)C7 x BSCB1 (R)C7, however, was larger than that of BSSS(R)C0 x BSCB1(R)C0. Pollen-shed-to-silking interval was shorter for the improved than the unimproved hybrids, and grain-filling duration was longer in C7 x C7 than in C₀ x C₀ of the reciprocal recurrent selection program. Furthermore, improved hybrids were characterized by smaller tassels and more upright canopies. Usually, plant traits and leaf-area-related traits were similar for all hybiids.Although dry-matter productivity was similar for all hybrids, those that were improved by recurrent selection produced more grain per unit leaf area and per unit light interception. Also, BS12C6 x B14A was characterized by a higher harvest index than BS12CO x B14A.We concluded that the source (i.e., photosynthetic capacity) was not limiting grain yield in BSSS(R) x BSCB1(R) and BS12. Increased grain yields that resulted from recurrent selection were consequences of longer grain-filling duration for BSSS(R) x BSCB1(R) and increased translocation of photosynthate from source to sink for both BSSS(R) x BSCB1(R) and BS12.Journal Paper J-8953 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Project No. 2152.     

Transgressive segregation in inter and intraspecific crosses of barley

Summary Six populations of F₂-derived lines of barley and their parents were evaluated for heading date, plant height, grain yield, bundle weight, and harvest index in a replicated experiment in the field. These data were used to estimate the minimum number of effective factor pairs segregating for each trait, the number of favorable factors contributed by each parent in a cross, and the frequencies and magnitudes of transgressive segregates.Heading date, plant height, and harvest index were controlled by three to four effective factor pairs, whereas grain yield and bundle weight were controlled by five or more.All three H. spontaneum strains used in our study contributed one or more useful genes for each of the traits, grain yield, heading date, plant height, bundle weight, and harvest index. Therefore, it seems that H. spontaneum can be a useful source of favorable genes for quantitative traits, especially for grain yield, which could be incorporated into barley varieties readily by backcrossing. Transgressive segregates for grain yield in the interspecific crosses may provide the basic materials for improving the productivity of cultivated barley varieties.Journal Paper No. J-9760 of the Iowa Agric. and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, IA 50011. Project 2227. Supported in part by a grant from the Science and Education Administration-Cooperative Research, United States Department of Agriculture.     

Growth rate inheritance and associations with other traits in backcross populations of Avena sativa x A. sterilis

Summary Improved grain yields in lines of oats from matings of Avena sativa x A. sterilis were found to be due to increased plant growth rate. Growth rates of oats were quantitatively inherited, with the minimum number of effective factor pairs segregating in the interspecific matings ranging from 3 to 9. Heritability values for this trait averaged 0.4. Growth rate was highly and positively correlated with bundle weight, straw yield, grain yield, and unit straw weight, but it was uncorrelated with heading date and harvest index. Correlations with plant height were low. Thus, it should be possible for oat breeders to combine the high growth rates from A. sterilis with any combination of agronomic traits.Journal Paper No. J-8608 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011. Project 1752. Supported in part by a grant from the Graduate College.Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, Japan (formerly Visiting Scientist at Iowa State University).     

Pollen production in soybeans with respect to genotype,environment, and stamen position

Summary Our objective was to determine the average numbers of pollen grains from fertile plants (Ms ₁) and the average numbers of coenocytic microspores from genetic male sterile plants (ms ₁ ms ₁) in soybeans, Glycine max L. Merr. Comparisons were made between the average numbers of pollen grains and the average numbers of coenocytic microspores with respect to environment where plants were grown and to stamen position in the flower. Five male sterile lines were used. They included the North Carolina ms ₁ mutant, the cultivar Hark with the ms ₁ gene, and mutants identified as the Urbana, Tonica, and Ames male steriles. Three environments used were the Agronomy Farm, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia; the Agronomy and Agricultural Engineering Research Center, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa; and the Agronomy Greenhouse, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa.Pollen production from fertile plants varied from 374 to 760 pollen grains per anther among genetic lines and environments. This variation may be an important consideration in selecting a male parent to use as a pollinator for hybrid seed production.Among fertile plants, the average numbers of pollen grains per anther of the separate stamen and and of the lower whorl of stamens were significantly different only in greenhouse-grown plants. Among male sterile plants, the average numbers of coenocytic microspores per anther of the separate stamen and of the lower whorl of stamens were significantly different in three genotype x environment combinations. These three exceptions did not conform to any genetic or environmental pattern. Deviations from the expected ratio of 4 pollen grains from fertile plants: 1 coenocytic microspore from sterile plants were attributed to initial differences in the average number of microspore mother cells between the two genotypes.Joint contribution: Agricultural Research Service, USDA, North Central Region, and Journal Paper No. J-8910 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011; Project 2107.     

Agronomic characteristics and genetics of a chromosome interchange in soybean

Summary A chromosome interchange in soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) was studied agronomically and genetically, and comparisons of seed or abortion position within the pod were related to chromosome structure. Comparisons were among plants heterozygous for a chromosome interchange (N/T), plants homozygous for the interchange (T/T), and homozygous normal-chromosome plants (N/N). The latter two genotypes were male fertile and female fertile. Heterozygous interchange plants, which are about 50% pollen sterile and ovule sterile, are typical of a large number of plants that have equally frequent alternate and adjacent chromosome segregation. Yield, lodging, plant height, and seed oil and protein percentages among all three genotypes were similar even though significant differences existed for seed weight, seed number, and pod number per plant. Seed abortions were more frequent in the basal position of the pod than in either the middle or apical positions in N/N and T/T genotypes. Ovule abortions in N/T plants were equally frequent among all positions both in two- and three-ovule pods. The middle seed in a three-ovule pod was heavier than the basal or apical seed among all three genotypes.Joint contribution: USDA ARS, and Journal Paper No. J-11300 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA, Project 2471.USDA ARS, Department of Agronomy and Genetics, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50011, USA.Department of Agronomy, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa 50001, USA.     

Effects of recurrent selection for grain yield on plant and ear traits of five maize populations

Summary Maize (Zea mays L.) breeders are interested in the effects of recurrent selection for grain yield on other traits. Changes in plant traits could alter agronomic acceptability of the populations under selection, and observed improvements in grain yield could be explained by changes in ear traits. We evaluated changes in combining ability for plant and ear traits of BS10(FR), BS11(FR), BSSS(R), BSCB1(R), and Lancaster Surecrop associated with recurrent selection for grain yield.Recurrent selection procedures generally did not change plant and ear heights or date of silking of testcrosses of populations or of the population crosses, BS10(FR)×BSS11(FR) and BSSS(R)×BSCB1(R). Grain yield improvements, however, were associated with increases in ear-sink size.Journal Paper No. J 9517 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Exp. Stn., Ames, Iowa. Project 2152.     

A partially male-sterile mutant line of soybeans,Glycine max (L.) Merr.: inheritance

Summary A partial male sterility system in the soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.) germplasm population AP6(SI)CI was found to be controlled monogenically by a recessive allele, msp. Observations of msp msp plants in different environments suggested that environmental conditions significantly affect expressivity of the msp allele with respect to male sterility. We obtained no experimental evidence of cytoplasmic effects on msp expression. Background genotypes, however, seem to affect msp expressivity through their determination of flowering dates and resultant interactions with varying environmental conditions.Homogeneous populations of partially male-sterile plants can be generated by increasing families of msp msp plants in fertility-inducing environments, if measures are implemented to prevent the introduction and/or build-up of fertile genotypes that arise from natural cross-pollinations.Joint contribution: North Central Region, Agricultural Research, Science and Education Administration, U.S. Department of Agriculture, and Journal Paper No. J-9596 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa 50011; Project 2107.     

Association between groat protein percentage and certain plant and seed traits in interspecific oat crosses

Summary Ten interspecific crosses of Avena sativa L. x A. sterilis L. were used to study associations of groat protein percentage with selected seed and agronomic traits. Each cross was grown in a replicated experiment, and the genetic material consisted of parents and F₂-derived lines grown in the F₄ generation.No close associations were found between groat protein percentage and plant height, heading date, or 10-groat weight. Individual crosses did show significant correlations, but none of the 3 traits was sufficiently associated with groat protein generally so as to be beneficial or inhibitory to combining high groat-protein percentage with the maturity, plant height, and 10-groat weight appropriate for good agronomic cultivars of oats.High groat-protein percentage was closely associated with abscission spikelet separation and jointed awn, both of which are A. sterilis traits. Shattering and dark seed color (A. sterilis traits) were also associated with high groat protein percentage, but kernel pubescence was not. Only a few segregates within each cross were A. sativa type for all 5 of the seed traits, but when A. sativa types from all crosses were grouped together, there was a large range for groat-protein percentages.Journal Paper No J-6950 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, Iowa. Project 1752. In cooperation with the Crops Research Division, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture. Carried out with a grant from the Quaker Oat Co., Chicago, Illinois, USA.     

Differences in reciprocal crosses of maize inbred lines diverse for protein content

Summary Forty-two crosses and their reciprocals in maize (Zea mays L.) involving inbred lines highly diverse for protein content were evaluated in four environments. Data were recorded on crude protein content of grain, protein yield, grain yield, 1000 kernel weight, dry matter content of ear at harves,, days to 50% slking, plant height, ear height, and early vigor. No significant variation due to reciprocal differences was observed for protein content and early vigor. For all other traits the variance component due to reciprocal x environment interactions was significant while the variance component due to reciprocal differences was significant only for kernel weight, dry matter content of ear, plant height, and ear height. The variance components due to nuclear differences and their interactions with environments were always highly significant and larger than the components due to reciprocal differences and reciprocal x environment interactions. The instability and low magnitude of reciprocal differences indicated that it might be difficult to exploit them commercially. However, seeing the presence of reciprocal differences for most of the traits studied, the evaluation of breeding materials for these differences seems to be important.The research work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Sonderforschungsbereich 142.     

Correlated response to recurrent selection for groat-oil content in oats

Summary One hundred random oat (Avena sativa L.) lines from a base (C₀) and each of three populations (C₁, C₂, and C₃) improved for groat (caryopsis) oil content by phenotypic recurrent selection were evaluated for correlated changes in several unselected agronomic traits. In addition, the parents of the base population and four check varieties were evaluated for the same traits. Phenotypic recurrent selection for high groat-oil content resulted in no significant correlated response in mean expression of any trait. Mean grain yield, biomass, groat yield, and harvest index of the improved populations were equal or superior to the mean of the parents and, with the exception of harvest index, equivalent to the mean of the check varieties. Mean test weight and seed weight of all populations were lower than for parents or check varieties. Selection for high groat-oil content caused a decline in genotypic variance for test weight and groat fraction, but reductions in genotypic variance for heading date and plant height may have resulted from culling for good agronomic type. Broad-sense heritability remained moderate to high for all traits except groat fraction. Phenotypic and genotypic correlation coefficients revealed negative, though mostly nonsignificant, relationships between groat-oil content and several traits, which may reflect a purported bioenergetic limitation to increasing groat-oil content in oats. Oil yield, however, was positively correlated with grain and groat yield, groat fraction, biomass, and harvest index. Results suggest that development of high-oil oat cultivars with current levels of production traits via phenotypic recurrent selection is possible.Journal Paper no. J-13038 of the Iowa Agric. and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames, IA 50011. Project 2447.     

Six years of maize selection in ‘Kitale synthetic II’, ‘Ecuador 573’, and ‘kitale composite a’ using methods of the comprehensive breeding system

Summary Evaluation of the results of six years of selection in the Kitale maize breeding methods study proved reciprocal recurrent selection to be an effective interpopulation improvement method. Ear-to-row selection was effective in improving Kitale Composite A (KCA). Data from a diallel of the cycle-6 ear-to-row substrains showed that where less than 10 lines were selected, inbreeding appeared to depress gain, but differences among the various ear-to-row experiments were not significant. Intererossing the substrains was predicted to reduce the effect of inbreeding. Yield gains in reciprocal recurrent selection and ear-to-row selection were associated with increases in ears per 100 plants. The reciprocal recurrent selection variety cross yield gain was estimated at 3.5% per year (7%/cycle) and that of the best ear-to-row procedure at 2.6% per year. The variety cross syn-2 from reciprocal recurrent selection was predicted to improve at the same rate as the best ear-to-row procedure (E7) with one long growing season per year. Under a cropping system with two similar seasons per year, however, ear-to-row selection should be more effective than reciprocal recurrent selection or its derived syn-2. Mass selection at 10% selection intensity produced significant improvement, but not at 2% selection intensity.S₁ and three half-sib selection methods were ineffective in KCA. Inbreeding and the lack of linkage equilibrium in KCA were discussed as contributing. Theoretical substrain compositing required 30 to 40 lines selected to equal the effectiveness of ear-to-row selection with 10 lines. Full-sib selection was effective in improving yield at 1.2% per year. All the recurrent selection methods showed a significant increase in ears per 100 plants. Population size was shown to be important in reducing losses due to inbreeding.If a hybrid or variety cross is potentially useable, reciprocal recurrent selection provides the best population approach. Initially, the variety cross syn-2 could be released with no additional breeding effort. Transition to variety crosses or traditional hybrids from extracted lines could be done as farmer husbandry improves and seed production facilities develop. Otherwise, open-pollinated varieties superior to existing maizes can be effectively developed using ear-to-row selection. The other methods may be effective in breeding populations when larger effective population sizes are used, but they were not effective in KCA when only 10 lines were recombined each cycle.Contribution from the East African Agriculture and Forestry Research Organization of the East African Community, the U.S. Agency for International Development (Project 618-11-110-657, East African Food Crop Research), the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture, and the Agricultural Research Service of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.     

Protein yield of oats as determined by protein percentage and grain yield

Summary Relationships among the traits protein percentage, grain yield, and protein yield of oats were studied with F₂-derived lines in F₃ and F₄ from 27 matings obtained by crossing high-protein with high-yield oat lines. High-protein parents were (a) selections from an Avena sativa bulk, (b) selections from three-way matings in which an initial parent was A. sterilss, and (c) cultivars. High-yield parents were derived from backcross populations involving A. sterilis accessions as donor parents.Significnnt genetic variation existed among F₂-derived lines for grain and protein yield in all matings and for protein percentage in all but one mating.Protein percentage had a highly significant negative correlation with grain yield (r=–0.33^**) when pooled over all matings, but in five, these two traits were not correlated. Overall, protein percentage showed a small negative correlation with protein yield (r=–0.09^*), and protein and grain yields had a high positive association (r=0.98^**). F₂-derived lines with both high protein percentage and high grain yield were obtained.High transgressive segregates for protein percentage occurred in two matings, for grain yield in nine, and for protein yield in 14. Most high transgressive segregates for protein yield were high because of high grain yield only, but in four matings, lines were found where protein yield was increased by concurrent increases in both protein percentage and grain yield.Only a few specific parental combinations between high-protein and high-yield parents produced segregates in which increased protein percentage contributed materially to high-protein yields.Journal Paper No. J-11264 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Economics Experiment Stn., Ames, Iowa 50011. Project 2447.