Selection of Jatropha genotypes for bioenergy purpose: an approach with multitrait, multiharvest and effective population size

Abstract

Jatropha curcas L. is a perennial plant with great potential for biodiesel production. Thus, the aim of this study was to select J. curcas genotypes for bioenergy purpose considering multitrait, multiharvest and effective population size. To this end, a data set with 70 J. curcas families, obtained through controlled crosses, evaluated in a randomized block design, with six replications, three plants per plot, spaced at 4 × 2 m was used. The following traits were evaluated: plant height in the 2014 and 2015 crop seasons; canopy projection in the row (2015 crop season); canopy projection between rows (2015 crop season); and grain yield (2015, 2016, and 2017 harvests). The mixed model methodology was used to estimate the variance components and to predict the genetic values. Superior genotypes were selected through Multitrait index based on factor analysis and genotype-ideotype distance (FAI-BLUP index), considering the effective population size. According to this index, 98% of all additive genetic variability were summarized in three factors. By adopting the selection intensity that allows maintaining the effective population size equal to 30 (i.e., selection of 214 individuals), the predicted gains were 15.56, 21.75, 4.16, and 5.37% for the traits grain yield in the 2015 and 2016 harvests, canopy projection in the row, and canopy projection between rows in the 2015 crop season, respectively. Thus, the results suggest that the FAI-BLUP index can be successfully used in J. curcas breeding.

Multitrait selection in seedless grape hybrids in semiarid regions of Brazil

“…Although proposed only recently, the FAI‐BLUP index has already been used efficiently in (i) the evaluation and selection of sorghum hybrids for biomass increase and energy cogeneration (Oliveira et al., 2019; Silva et al., 2018); (ii) soybean selection for biodiesel production (Woyann et al., 2020); (iii) selection of superior common bean progenies (Rocha et al., 2019); (iv) selection of Jatropha curcas L. genotypes for bioenergetic purposes (Rodrigues et al., 2020); (v) selection of superior pumpkin genotypes with smaller size and higher seed yield for oil production (Oliveira et al., 2020); (vi) combined selection in maize (Peixoto et al., 2021); (vii) simultaneous selection of mangaba based on eleven agronomic traits (Almeida et al., 2021); (viii) selection of early soybean progenies that are more erect and have higher grain yield potential (Volpato et al., 2021); (ix) and selection of superior wheat genotypes for grain yield, tiller number and grain weight per plant (Meier et al., 2021).…”