Simultaneous selection for architectural and yield traits in common bean lines considering environmental variability

Abstract

Simultaneous selection for plant architecture and yield traits will be more efficient if a minimum number of experiments is established, but no such definition has been made for common bean. The objectives of this study were to select superior common bean lines for several plant architecture and yield traits and identify the minimum number of experiments that provide greater efficiency in simultaneous selection for agronomic traits. Twelve plant architecture and five yield traits of common bean lines were evaluated in four experiments. Analysis of variance and selection index (multiplicative) were carried out using data from individual experiments I (2016 rainy), II (2017 dry), III (2017 rainy), and IV (2018 dry-season crops), or data from two (I and II), three (I, II, and III), and four (I, II, III, and IV) experiments. Most agronomic traits showed a significant genotype × experiment interaction effect. The use of data from individual experiments resulted in variable heritability and genetic gain estimates and in the selection of different common bean genotypes for each growing environment. However, data from three or four experiments allowed 100% of coincidence in the selection of four superior common bean genotypes: LP 09-33, BRS Valente, Pérola, and Carioca. Data from at least three experiments should be used to select superior common bean lines for plant architecture and yield traits to increase the efficiency of simultaneous selection.