Selection strategies for growth characters and rubber yield in two populations of rubber trees in Brazil

• Published in: Industrial crops and products Vol. 118; pp. 118 - 124
• Main Authors: Dourado, Cecília Luzia, de Moraes, Marcela Aparecida, Alves, Patrícia Ferreira, Kubota, Thaisa Yuriko Kuboyama, da Silva, Janaína Rodrigues, Moreira, Juliana Prado, da Silva, Alonso Ângelo, Cambuim, José, de Souza Gonçalves, Paulo, de Moraes, Mario Luiz Teixeira
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier B.V 01-08-2018
• Subjects: Estimation of genetic parameters; Hevea brasiliensis; Multi-effect index; Rubber yield; Selection gains; Hevea brasiliensis; Multi-effect index; Estimation of genetic parameters; Rubber yield; Selection gains
• DOI: 10.1016/j.indcrop.2018.03.005
• EISSN: 1872-633X
• ISSN: 0926-6690

•Estimates of estimated genetic parameters between growth traits and dry rubber production for the two rubber populations indicate a favorable selection situation.•The MEI-based selection provided promising selection gains without drastically affecting effective size and diversity in rubber populations.•The MEI is the most appropriate strategy being selection within families, providing adequate levels of genetic variability and possible seed orchard formation.
The objective of this work was to evaluate the genetic parameters and estimate genetic gains in two populations of Hevea brasiliensis. The first population of the study is originated from the primary forest of Rio Branco – Acre (wild population – PS), and the other population is originated from clonal matrices (improved population – PM). Thirty-seven progenies were evaluated at 23 years for PS. For PM, 31 progenies at eight years of age were evaluated for growth traits and dry rubber yield. Estimates of the genetic parameters were made using the univariate linear mixed-model additive model REML/BLUP and gains in selection by the Multi-Effects Index (MEI) method. The selection strategies of 50%, 40% and 22% of individuals for the character of dry rubber yield (PBS) and stem perimeter (PAP) using the multi-effects index revealed high and low selection gains in both populations. For MP, the strategy of selection between and within progenies was more appropriate and for PS, the individual selection. The gains obtained in the selection were 54% for the PBS character in the improved population of 0.46% for the PAP character for the wild population.