Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

A comprehensive breeding system

  • Published:
Der Züchter Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Summary

An outline of a comprehensive breeding system developed and used by the Kenya Maize Research Section is presented. This system has four main phases:

  1. 1.

    Evaluation of local and exotic varieties so that the breeding material is the best available.

  2. 2.

    Compositing the selected breeding material into two or more populations or varieties in such a manner that each population has considerable genetic variation for the traits requiring improvement and that the crosses of these populations will show heterosis.

  3. 3.

    Recurrent selection in each population to increase the frequency of favorable genes so that the populations and population crosses are improved with each cycle of selection.

  4. 4.

    Release of a commercial variety of one of the following forms: (a) the cross of two populations as a variety cross hybrid; (b) single, three-way or double cross hybrids from inbred lines developed from the elite material after each cycle of selection; or (c) a synthetic variety derived from the advanced generation of the population cross in areas where hybrid production is not yet feasible.

Preliminary results are presented to indicate the improvement possible in maize by use of this system. Its possible extension to other crops is also briefly discussed.

Zusammenfassung

Es wird über ein umfassendes Züchtungssystem berichtet, das von der Kenya Maize Research Section entwickelt und angewendet wurde. Es umfaßt folgende 4 Hauptphasen:

  1. 1.

    Beurteilung lokaler und fremder Sorten, um das beste Zuchtmaterial verfügbar zu haben.

  2. 2.

    Zusammenstellung des ausgewählten Zuchtmaterials in zwei oder mehr Populationen oder Sorten derart, daß jede Population bezüglich der zu verbessernden Merkmale eine erhebliche genetische Variation aufweist und die Kreuzungen dieser Populationen Heterosiseffekte ergeben.

  3. 3.

    Rekurrente Selektion in jeder Population, um die Häufigkeit brauchbarer Gene zu erhöhen und damit die Populationen und Populationskreuzungen mit jedem Selektionszyklus zu verbessern.

  4. 4.

    Entwicklung einer Handelssorte auf einem der folgenden Wege: a) Kreuzung von 2 Populationen als Sortenhybride, b) Hybriden aus Einzel-, Dreiweg-oder Doppelkreuzungen von Inzuchtlinien, die nach jedem Selektionszyklus aus Elitematerial entwickelt wurden, oder c) eine synthetische Sorte aus einer fortgeschrittenen Generation der Populationskreuzung in Gebieten, wo eine Hybriderzeugung noch nicht möglich ist.

Es werden vorläufige Ergebnisse mitgeteilt, die anzeigen, daß eine züchterische Verbesserung des Maises bei Anwendung dieses Systems möglich ist. Darüber hinaus wird die mögliche Anwendung dieses Systems auf andere Fruchtarten kurz besprochen.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Literature Cited

  1. Brim, C. A., H. W. Johnson, and C. C. Cockerham: Multiple selection criteria in soybeans. Crop Sci. 1, 187 to 190 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  2. Cockerham, C. C.: Estimation of genetic variance. Stat. Genet. and Plant Breeding. NAS-NRC Pub. 982, pp. 53–94 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  3. Comstock, R. E., and R. H. Moll: Genotype-environment interactions. Stat. Genet. and Plant Breeding. NAS-NRC Pub. 982, pp. 164–196 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  4. Comstock, R. E., H. F. Robinson, and P. H. Harvey: A breeding procedure designed to make maximum use of both general and specific combining ability. J. Amer. Soc. Agron. 41, 360–367 (1949).

    Google Scholar 

  5. Dogget, H., and S. A. Eberhart: Recurrent Selection in Sorghum. Crop Sci. (In press).

  6. Gardner, C. O.: An evaluation of effects of mass selection and seed irradiation with thermal neutrons on yield of corn. Crop Sci. 1, 241–245 (1961).

    Google Scholar 

  7. Hanson, W. D.: The break-up of initial linkage blocks under selected mating systems. Genetics 44, 857–868 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  8. Hazel, L. N.: The genetic basis for constructing selection indexes. Genetics 28, 476–490 (1943).

    Google Scholar 

  9. Lonnquist, J. H.: A modification of the ear-to-row procedure for the improvements of maize populations. Crop Sci. 4, 227–228 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  10. Lonnquist, J. H., A. Cota, and C. O. Gardner: Effect of mass selection and thermal neutron irradiation on genetic variances in a variety of corn (Zea mays L.). Crop Sci. 6, 330–332 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  11. Moll, R. H., M. F. Lindsey, and H. F. Robinson: Estimates of genetic variances and level of dominance in maize. Genetics 49, 412–423 (1964).

    Google Scholar 

  12. Moll, R. H., and H. F. Robinson: Observed and expected response in four selection experiments in maize. Crop Sci. 6, 319–324 (1966).

    Google Scholar 

  13. Penny, L. H., W. A. Russel, G. T. Sprague, and A. R. Hallauer: Recurrent selection. Stat. Genet. and Plant Breeding. NAS-NRC Pub. 982, pp. 352–367 (1963).

    Google Scholar 

  14. Rawlings, J. O., and D. L. Thompson: Performance levels as criterion for the choice of maize testers. Crop Sci. 2, 217–220 (1962).

    Google Scholar 

  15. Sprague, G. F.: Early testing and recurrent selection. In: Heterosis, Chapter 26, pp. 400–417. Ames, Iowa: University Press 1952.

    Google Scholar 

  16. Sprague, G. F.: Corn breeding. In: Corn and corn improvement, Chapter V, pp. 221–292. New York: Academic Press Inc. 1955.

    Google Scholar 

  17. Sprague, G. F.: Quantitative genetics in plant improvement. In: Plant Breeding, Chapter 8, pp. 315–354. Ames, Iowa: University Press, 1966.

    Google Scholar 

  18. Sprague, G. F., P. A. Miller, and B. Brimhall: Additional studies on the relative effectiveness of two systems of selection for oil content of the corn kernel. Agron. J. 44, 329–331 (1952).

    Google Scholar 

  19. Sprague, G. F., W. A. Russel, and L. H. Penny: Recurrent selection for specific combining ability and type of gene action involved in yield heterosis in corn. Agron. J. 41, 392–394 (1959).

    Google Scholar 

  20. Williams, C. G., and F. A. Welton: Corn experiments. Ohio Agr. Exp. Sta. Bull. 282 (1915).

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Maize Research Section, Kitale, Kenya

    S. A. Eberhart, M. N. Harrison & F. Ogada

Authors
  1. S. A. Eberhart
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. M. N. Harrison
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  3. F. Ogada
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Additional information

Dedicated to Dr. George F. Sprague on the occasion of his 65th birthday.

Research Geneticist, Agricultural Research Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture/U.S. Agency for International Development/East African Agriculture & Forestry Research Organisation; Senior Maize Research Officer and Maize Breeder, Maize Research Section, Kenya Ministry of Agriculture.

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Eberhart, S.A., Harrison, M.N. & Ogada, F. A comprehensive breeding system. Züchter / Genet. Breed. Res. 37, 169–174 (1967). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329524

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00329524

Keywords

Search

Navigation