Selection for grain yield of spring wheat utilizing seed size and other selection criteria

• Published in: Canadian journal of plant science 1987-07, Vol.67 (3), p.605-610
• Main Author: Nass, H.G
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Agronomy. Soil science and plant productions; Biological and medical sciences; Breeding schemes. Varia; Fundamental and applied biological sciences. Psychology; Genetics and breeding of economic plants; grains; Plant breeding: fundamental aspects and methodology; seeds; selection criteria; selection methods; size; Triticum aestivum; Varietal selection. Specialized plant breeding, plant breeding aims; Yield, quality, earliness, varia
• ISSN: 0008-4220; 1918-1833
• DOI: 10.4141/cjps87-086

Four selection procedures, to include random selection, visual head selection by two selectors, selection for large seed size, and harvest index, respectively, were evaluated for relative effectiveness in selecting high-yielding plants in F 2 and F 3 populations of three crosses of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Twenty-five F 4 -derived lines of the three crosses for each selection method were evaluated for yield performance during 2 yr of study. Selection for large seed size and visual head selection produced more late-heading, tall or high-yielding plants than the other selection methods. A larger number of F 4 -derived lines in the top yielding 5% and 25% within each cross was chosen by visual selection and by selection for large seed size.Key words: Selection methods, seed size, harvest index, grain yield, spring wheat, visual head selections