Assessment of Genetic Gain Trends for Yield in IRRI Rice Varieties in the Philippines Using “era” Trial Studies and Implications for Future Rice Breeding

Rice is a staple crop for 3.5 billion people in the world. To meet the challenges of the rice production for food security and demand due to population increase, yield improvement due to a rice variety’s genetic characteristics is imperative. Two studies presented in this paper were undertaken at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) in the Philippines, to assess genetic gains for yield in rice varieties bred over the past 50 years. These studies are called as “Era” studies as the varieties used for trials were released during long and distinct periods. Due to the differences in time periods of studies, varieties and locations, the studies were treated separately so as to not to compromise the data analyses. The studies demonstrated that IRRI developed varieties have achieved genetic gains and levels of genetic gains were dependent on correction or otherwise for maturities. In Study 1, the highest level of genetic gain was 0.70% at about a 23 kg ha-1 annual yield increase when not corrected for maturity followed by a genetic gain of 0.62% when corrected for maturity. In Study 2, the highest level of genetic gain was 0.74% at about a 19 kg ha-1 annual yield increase when corrected for maturity followed by 0.66% genetic gain when not corrected for maturity. Implications for breeding programs are discussed, however, the studies were not intended to compare genetic gains achieved through different breeding methods nor to compare genetic gains achieved using plot trials versus realized genetic gains for crops grown under farmers’ management.

Early Realized Gains for Two-cycle Selection for Black Spruce and Their Implications for Testing Effort Allocation

Deployment of improved black spruce (Picea mariana(Mill.) B.S.P.) seedlots in New Brunswick (NB) is a standard silvicultural practice. Most plantations have been established using elite-stand seedlots in the 1980s, first-generation seedling seed orchard seedlots in the 1990s and thereafter second-generation clonal seed orchard seedlots. A large-plot realized gain test was established at six sites in NB to provide estimates of actual gains from planting these improved seedlots. The test compared four improved seedlots, representing seedlots collecting from an elite stand, a first-generation seed orchard, two second-generation orchards and a mix of eight elite full-sib families identified in second-generation testing populations, with one unimproved checklot. This paper presents height measurements taken on trees at age 5. Results indicate that realized genetic gains from two-cycle selection and breeding are reasonably high and, in general, the more improved the seedlot, the higher the gain. Planting the elite-stand or the first-generation orchard seedlot would produce a gain of about 10% (relative to the checklot) in 5-yr height and an additional 5.8% gain could be obtained from planting the second-generation orchard seedlot. Even higher gain could be obtained via the deployment of the elite full-sib families, which was estimated to be about 8.6% more than the deployment of the second-generation orchard seedlot. While the realized gain varied with site, the ranking of gain achieved for the different seedlots was similar between sites. The above information was further used to optimize testing efforts for realized gain tests. To detect a typical gain of 5 to 10% at a significance level of 0.05 with a predetermined power of 0.80, each test should include 5 to 10 blocks per site (the number of sites is fixed at 4) or 4 to 6 sites (the number of blocks per site is fixed at 6) paired with planting 36 to 49 trees per plot. These approximate numbers of sites and blocks per site should be modified, depending on the interactions of seedlot with site and with block within site.

Realized Genetic Gains in Coastal Douglas-fir in British Columbia: Implications for Growth and Yield Projections

Realized genetic gain trials for coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco) at five different sites with four different spacings were assessed at age 12 to compare early gain predictions in growth from small plot progeny test designs to those obtained from large block designs. Seedlings from three genetic levels, i.e., local wild-stand controls (WS), a mid-gain seedlot (MG), and a top-cross seedlot (TC) were planted in 12 × 12 tree plots with two replications at spacings of 1.6 m, 2.3 m, 2.9 m and 4.0 m. Two replications of a “single-tree plot” design at 2.9 m spacing for the three genetic levels (30 trees per genetic level) were also established, to allow for more detailed comparisons between single-tree and multiple-tree plot means. Although these trials are still relatively young, trees in the closest spacing had the highest levels of mortality with the TC trees having the highest rate of survival. Height gains in the block trials ranged from 10.4% to 16.1% for MG and TC trees, respectively, and were relatively close to the predicted values; however, volume (individual tree and volume/ha) gains exceeded expectations. Effects of genetic entry on height at age 12 were highly significant, while spacing, genetic entry by spacing, and genetic entry by test site interactions were not significant. We also compared height growth over the first 12 years to growth estimated from the “Bruce height growth model” for Douglas-fir and found that on four of the five test sites our MG and TC seedlings follow the expected height growth trajectories.

Genetic variation and realized genetic gain from rubber tree improvement

Breeding cycle in rubber extends to 20-30 years between pollination and yield assessment, distributed over three selection stages. Five hectares of small scale trial of rubber tree [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex Adr. de Juss.) Muell.-Arg.], was established in the Northwestern region of São Paulo State, Brazil. The population comprises 98 clones mostly derived from intensively selected plus tree in the natural forest of rubber tree in the Amazon. Three open pollinated progeny tests were established in three experimental stations. Seedlings from 98 progenies including a commercial check (CC) were planted in each one of the three locations. Assessments were made when the plants were one, two and three years old. The variation among progenies for girth was highly significant in all locations examined. In the combined analysis of variance over three locations, differences among progenies were also detected, while progeny × location interaction effect was not significant. Narrow sense heritability estimates on individual tree basis (h i²) were variable depending on the characteristic, age of assessment and experimental location. Realized genetic gains were calculated for the plant characteristics at the age of three years, by comparing the performance of improved (selected) materials to unimproved materials (CC). The total genetic gain from the genetically tested first generation clone population at Votuporanga is estimated as 25% for girth, 14% for rubber yield and 25% for bark thickness. Improvement of rubber tree by selection, establishment of clonal population (isolated garden) and progeny testing is a very promising and profitable operation.

Broadening the genetic base of sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) through germplasm enhancement

Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) is one of the world's oldest oil crops and has been cultivated in Asia from ancient times. India has a rich diversity of this crop and a landrace collection is maintained at the National Genebank at the National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources (NBPGR). The breeding potential of this germplasm has been hardly exploited to date. The major hindrance for the utilization of these resources is the transfer of diversity into a form that can be easily used by breeders and farmers. As part of a core collection strategy, a selection was made of 24 of the most diverse and unadapted parental lines, including one accession of the wild species S. mulayanum, and these were intercrossed in various combinations to maximize genetic diversity and to develop locally adapted pools of genetic resources. A weak and decentralized selection regime was maintained at four selected target sites on the progeny of 103 crosses. The range of variation in the selected F4 progenies was assessed, and promising types with desired plant characteristics and high seed yield were selected. Realized genetic gains, especially for yield-related traits, were also assessed. Only a limited fraction of the existing diversity held in the genebank was used in the present study and there is much more diversity available for large-scale genetic enhancement of sesame in the future.

Early Realized Genetic Gains for Coastal Douglas-Fir in the Northern Oregon Cascades

Block-plot realized genetic gain trials were established for coastal Douglas-fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii var. menziesii) at five sites in the northern Oregon Cascades. The long-term objectives of these trials are to explore the growth trajectories and productivity of genetically improved stands and their relationship to predicted genetic gains based on performance in progeny tests. Measurements 5 years after planting provide an opportunity for an early assessment of realized genetic gains as compared to predicted gains and provide data for determining the number of replicates needed to detect statistically significant differences between improved and unimproved populations using large block plots. Results indicate that progress from selection and breeding of Douglas-fir is readily achievable, and realized genetic gains 5 years after planting are similar to those predicted based on results from progeny tests. Realized genetic gains were about 6% for height, 8% for diameter, and 28% for stem volume, compared to predicted genetic gains of about 8% for height, 7% for diameter, and 25% for stem volume. Large numbers of replicates (30–50) are required to detect statistically significant differences in height and diameter between improved and unimproved populations given genetic gains expected in a typical tree improvement program. West. J. Appl. For. 19(3):195–201.

Direct and correlated responses to selection for 4-week body weight in two lines of Japanese quails

Data on 29,411 quails of two selected lines along with a control line were examined over nine generations. Significant genetic gains/generation for 4-week body weight were realized in the two strains (3.70 and 3.10 g). Significant correlated genetic changes were also observed in early body weights (day-old to 3-weeks) as well as in 16-week body weight. Egg number and sexual maturity did not show any significant response while egg weight and egg mass showed desirable genetic gains. Natural selection did not seem to exert any effect. Inbreeding levels of 0.32 to 0.43 % per generation did not appear to be of any significance in affecting the response. Realized heritabilities (0.21–0.24) were reasonably consistent between sexes and matched fairly well with the nine-generation pooled sire-component heritabilities of 0.20 ± 0.04 and 0.25 ± 0.04 in the two lines. There was evidence of maternal effects as indicated by excess of dam- over the sire-component heritability. Time-trend in heritabilities was non-significant. There was good agreement between the predicted and realized genetic gains.

Realized Genetic Gains for First Generation Improved Loblolly Pine in 45 Tests in Coastal North Carolina

An improved first generation check (a mixture of 12 of the best open-pollinated families) was compared with an unimproved check in 45 tests in coastal North Carolina at age 6 or 7 yr. Excellent and consistent genetic gains were realized for exhibited site index and sweep reduction from the first generation of genetic improvement. It was rare that the unimproved check lot was better than the first generation improved stock for site index (2 out of 45 trials) or stem sweep (1 out of 45 trials). On average, a 3.4 ft improvement in exhibited site index (3.9%) and a 0.43 in. reduction in sweep (-27%) were realized across all tests, both highly statistically significant. Moderate but statistically significant gains in rust resistance were realized. Rust resistance gains were moderate because rust is not a serious problem in the region, and less emphasis was given to rust resistance in the selection of families than to growth rate and stem straightness. Improvements in survival through age six were nominal and statistically nonsignificant since survival was not a primary selection criterion in this region where survival is generally good. Regressions of improved check means by site were regressed onto unimproved check means for a better understanding of the nature of realized gains for the various traits. South J. Appl. For. 24(3):140-144.