Early generation selection for tuber appearance affects potato yield components
Giovani Olegário da Silva, Velci Queiroz de Souza, Arione da Silva Pereira, Fernando Irajá Félix de Carvalho, and Roberto Fritsche Neto
The aim of this study was to verify the influence of selection for tuber appearance on potato yield components. A potato hybrid population composed of 20 clone families from the Embrapa Clima Temperado breeding program was evaluated. The selection for tuber appearance had a positive effect on genetic gains in yield, while yield and its components (average tuber weight and tuber number) did not have influence on tuber appearance, due to the absence of significant genetic correlations. The expected response for yield by selecting for tuber appearance, however, does not surpass the expected response with direct selection for yield. Tuber yield as well as its components influenced the gains in tuber appearance and the genetic gain from selection for mean tuber weight even surpassed the direct gain for tuber appearance