Evaluation of common bean segregant populations: prediction strategies and environmental effects

ABSTRACT

The objective of this study was to verify the consistency in predicting the potential of common bean populations regarding the hypocotyl diameter (HD) and grain yield (GY) in two planting seasons applying the methodology of Jinks and Pooni and the estimates m+a'and d. A total of 48 segregating populations were evaluated in the 2009 winter season (generations F₂and F₃, simultaneously) and the 2010 dry season (generations F₃and F₄, simultaneously), besides16 controls. Based on the Jinks and Pooni methodology, it was verified that only four and two populations coincided among the twelve best in the two crops, for HD and GY, respectively. The correlation between (winter season) x (dry season) was significant and of reasonable magnitude for the two characters, but inexpressive for (winter season) x (dry season), indicating greater influence of the environmental effects on the variance estimates than on the mean estimates. A low correlation between the pairs m+a'(winter season) x m+a'(dry season) and d(winter season) x d(dry season) was verified for both characters, showing that these estimates are also highly influenced by the environment. The most promising populations, considering HD and GY, simultaneously, were IPR Uirapuru x L1, BRS Valente x VC6, and CNFC 9466 x VC6, according to the Jinks and Pooni methodology; and CNFC 9466 x L3, BRS Horizonte x VC6, and IPR Uirapuru x BRSMG Madreperola, by the estimates m+a'and d. Thus, these methodologies are complementary in predicting the potential of common bean segregating populations.

Key words:
genetic potential; seasons; selection; hypocotyl; grain yield; Phaseolus vulgaris