The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of environments on the estimated genetic potential of common bean populations for the traits hypocotyl diameter and grain yield. We evaluated 48 segregating bean populations in the growing seasons winter 2009 (F2 and F3 simultaneously) and drought 2010 (F3 and F4 generations simultaneously), and 16 controls. The genetic potential of the population was estimated using the methodology of Jinks and Pooni. The coincidence between the best and worst populations in the two growing seasons and different generations for the two characters was low, indicating that the environmental effect interferes with the selection of common bean populations when using the method of Jinks and Pooni. Thus, it is recommended that the genetic potential should be estimated based on the evaluation of a larger number of environments.
Phaseolus vulgaris; genetic and phenotypic parameters; plant architecture; grain yield selection
