Genetic and phenotypic parameters in common bean segregant populations from intra and inter-gene pool crosses of elite lines

This study aimed compare segregating populations of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) derived from intra and inter-gene pool crosses of elite lines by estimates of some genetic and phenotypic parameters. Four elite lines highly adapted to Brazilian conditions were used (ESAL 686 and BRS Radiante: Andean gene pool; BRSMG Majestoso and BRS Valente: Mesoamerican gene pool). Two intra-gene pool (“A”: ESAL 686 × BRS Radiante; “B”: BRS Valente × BRSMG Majestoso) and two inter-gene pool segregant populations (“C”: BRS Radiante × BRSMG Majestoso and “D”: ESAL 686 × BRS Valente) were obtained. The parental lines, the cultivar Pérola and fifty-five F_2:3 progenies of each population were evaluated in the rainy season 2010/2011, and afterwards (F_2:4) in dry season of 2011. Estimates of genetic variance ( $\hat{\sigma }_{G}^{2}$ ), heritability on a progeny mean basis ( $\hat{h}_{p}^{2}$ ), heritability realized ( $\hat{h}_{R}^{2}$ ) and gain expected from selection (GS) were obtained at joint analysis, in each population, for the traits number of days to flowering (DTF), 100 seed weight (100SW) and seed yield (SYD). It was observed that for all traits, inter-gene pool crosses (“C” and “D”) showed higher estimates of $\hat{\sigma }_{G}^{2}$ , $\hat{h}_{p}^{2}$ , $\hat{h}_{R}^{2}$ and GS than intra-gene pool crosses (“A” and “B”), which indicates more genetic variability. However, for SYD, the higher variability was associated to lower average of seed yield, showing that even utilizing adapted parents the inter-gene pool crosses are inferior to crosses between lines of the same gene pool.