EFFECTIVENESS OF SEVERAL SELECTION METHODS FOR GRAIN YIELD IN TWO F2 POPULATIONS OF SPRING WHEAT

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Abstract
Visual head selection by three selectors, head weight, harvest index, and random selection were evaluated for selecting high-yielding plants in two F2 populations of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Forty F2 lines of two crosses for each selection method were evaluated for yield performance in F4 during 2 yr. There was no advantage of any of the selection methods over random selection in the lower-yielding cross 1 and no advantage of the harvest index and head weight methods over visual selection in both crosses. Visual head selection produced more late-heading, tall plants, and was the most effective method in selecting for yield in cross 2. Harvest index tended towards the selection of lines with short height in cross 2. A larger number of the top 15% of F4 lines were from the high yielding cross 2, and selectors 1 and 2 chose the greatest number of superior lines.Key words: Selection methods, head weight, harvest index, grain yield, spring wheat, visual head selection.