Yield components in sugarcane families at four locations in the state of São Paulo, Brazil
Marcelo de Almeida Silva; Marcos Guimarães de Andrade Landell; Paulo de Souza Gonçalves and Antônio Lúcio Mello Martins
The objective of this paper was to evaluate the genetic potential of 10 full-sib families of sugarcane (Saccharum spp.) planted at Experimental Stations in Jaú, Ribeirão Preto, Piracicaba and Pindorama using randomized complete blocks with three replications and 30 plants per plot. A total of 10 families was obtained from of a Copersucar germplasm breeding population in the state of Bahia. Yield components such as stalk height, stalk number, stalk diameter and average Brix were the studied traits. Except for stalk number in one location (Piracicaba), the results of the individual analysis showed genetic variations among families. Genetic variability was also detected among families for all traits. The joint analysis showed that locations effect and family x locations interaction were significant for all traits. Heritability varied among locations showing high values for stalk height and number in Piracicaba, suggesting great possibilities for genetic gain for these traits in this location. Stalk diameter and average Brix heritabilities were high, 96.02% and 94.88% respectively, among families at Pindorama, suggesting that an effort to increase both characters through family selection would be rewarding. Genotypic and phenotypic correlations among yield components in the joint analysis showed high negative correlations between stalk height and diameter.