Individual multivariate REML/BLUP in the presence of genotype x environment interaction in rubber tree (Hevea) breeding
Reginaldo Brito da Costa; Marcos Deon Vilela de Resende; Paulo de Souza Gonçalves and Marcelo de Almeida Silva
The present study was carried out to estimate genetic parameters and additive genetic values by the individual REML/BLUP procedure for rubber tree [Hevea brasiliensis (Willd. ex Adr. de Juss.) Muell.-Arg.] selection in the presence of genotype x environment interaction. Twenty-two half-sib progenies were planted in Experimental Stations at Jaú, Pindorama and Votuporanga in São Paulo State, Brazil, in a randomized complete block design with five replicates and 10 plants per plot, and assessed for dry rubber yield at three years of age. The results for yield showed the presence of genetic variability among progenies with higher values for Pindorama, especially for additive genetic and phenotypic variance estimates, characterizing the location as a favorable environment for the expression of the population genetic variability. The high correlation among progenies observed between the Votuporanga and Jaú environments confirmed that a single breeding program can satisfactorily attend both regions. The genetic gains estimated by the multivariate and univariate BLUP methods
showed superiority (5% to 21%) for the individual multivariate BLUP procedure, reflecting the great efficacy and flexibility of the method for predicting genetic values and gains in the presence of genotype x environment interaction. The use of information from the three locations combined leads to the maximization of the genetic gain with the selection.