The objective of this study was to quantify the genetic gain for grain yield of the breeding program of irrigated rice in Minas Gerais State, Brazil, in the period of 1998 to 2010. For this, data from advanced comparative trials performed in four different sites of Minas Gerais were analyzed. Some sites were not included in all crop years and thus a mixed model methodology was used to obtain more accurate estimates. The genetic gain for grain yield over the period was 107.42 kg ha-1, which represented a proportion of 17.88% of the total progress estimative. This gain corresponds to an increase of 8.95 kg ha-1 yr-1 or even a 1.99% increase in grain productivity per year. Although the genetic gain has been satisfactory, new alternatives may be applied to improve the rice yield in coming years.
Oryza sativa; genetic progress; cultivar development; REML/BLUP
