Estimation of soybean genetic progress in the South of Brazil using multi-environmental yield trials

Abstract

The success of a genetic breeding program in a certain period can be assessed by the genetic gain observed. Genetic progress can be estimated from the multi environmental trials (MET) data which are routinely carried out by annual species breeding programs for the assessment of new commercial cultivars. A data set of 20 years of MET of advanced soybean lines derived from four breeding programs was used to estimate and to compare the genetic gains obtained for three soybean maturity groups (early, medium and late) in four cropping regions of the State of Rio Grande do Sul. The estimated yield gains ranged from 0.0 to 71.5 kg ha-1 year-1 (3.49% per year), depending on the maturity group and region, which suggests that the genetic breeding effort does not have a similar effect among the maturity groups or benefit the regions equally. There was no evidence of genetic progress for the early maturity group in any of the four regions, whereas gains in Regions I and IV were comparatively greater than those in Regions II and III. The objectives of the soybean breeding program in the region should be redirected. Since not all the experimental lines used to estimate genetic gains were commercially released, the reported genetics gains were achieved by the breeding programs rather than those achieved by the cropping systems.

Breeding progress for grain yield and associated traits in medium and late maturing promiscuous soybeans in Nigeria

“…De Bruin and Pedersen (2009b) also reported that genetic gain from new cultivars of soybean is associated with more efficient use of light rather than increased plant density. As in the present study, soybean yield gains that ranged from 0 to 71.5 kg ha -1 year -1 were estimated in Brazil for early, medium and late maturity groups in four cropping regions (Lange and Federizzi 2009). However, these authors reported that genetic gain in the early maturing group was nil.…”

Contribution and perspectives of quantitative genetics to plant breeding in Brazil

“…This method was later improved from the biometric point of view. Currently, estimates of the annual genetic progress in various species are available such as rice (Soares et al 1999, Atroch andNunes 2000), common bean (Fonseca Júnior 1997, Matos et al 2007, Chiorato 2010, maize , soybeans (Lange andFederizzi 2009), oats (Barbosa Neto et al 2000) and wheat (Cargnin et al 2009), which attest to the success of the work of Brazilian breeders.…”

Wheat Yield Improvements in Brazil: Roles of Genetics and Environment

“…The evaluation of genetic gains in Brazilian breeding programs is available for soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.] (Lange and Federizzi, 2009), common beans ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) (de Faria et al, 2013), rice ( Oryza sativa L.) (Atroch and Nunes, 2000; Breseghello et al, 2011), and maize ( Zea mays L.) (Storck et al, 2005). However, similar studies regarding wheat are scarce.…”

“…In lower latitudes, high temperatures significantly reduce wheat GY, as they reduce the grain-filling period (Tahir et al, 2006) and can affect the progress rate. In this context, dividing larger geographic regions into smaller subareas for estimating genetic gain may provide advantageous information (Lange and Federizzi, 2009;de la Vega and Chapman, 2010;Crespo-Herrera et al, 2017).…”