Competition effects can mislead selection in eucalypt breeding trials

Autor(es)

Ferreira, Filipe Manoel ; Chaves, Saulo Fabricio da Silva ; dos Santos, Osmarino Pires ; Nunes, Andrei Caique Pires ; Tambarussi, Evandro Vagner ; Pereira, Guilherme da Silva ; dos Santos, Gleison Augusto ; Bhering, Leonardo Lopes ; Dias, Kaio Olimpio das Gracas

• Tipo de documento: Artigo Científico
• Fonte: FOREST ECOLOGY AND MANAGEMENT; v. 561, p. 8-pg., 2024-04-11.

Resumo

The assessment of plant performance and the accuracy of genetic selection can be significantly affected by genetic competition among individuals. In addition to genetic causes, competition is influenced by external factors such as environment and age. This research uses multi-location multi-age Eucalyptus dunii trials to answer four questions: i) Are there major changes when competition effects (both genetic and residual) are estimated in single-age and multi-age models? ii) What are the implications of considering competition effects on the early selection of eucalypt clones? iii) What are the impacts of considering the reliability of direct (DGE) and indirect genotypic effects (IGE) as a weight in a selection index?, and iv) Which clones hold the potential to form highly productive clonal plantations in Southern Brazil when deployed together as clonal composites? The dataset contained three trials established in different locations in Southern Brazil, where growth traits were measured at 3.5 and 7 years. We fitted single-age and multi-age spatial competition models for each trial. The multi-age spatial competition model was a valuable tool for selecting superior eucalypt clones. Neglecting the IGEs led to changes in clone ranking, reducing the effectiveness of early selection. Additionally, a selection index where DGEs and IGEs are weighted by their reliability was proposed. Therefore, our study contributes to understanding the magnitude of IGE's impact on the daily practice of eucalypt breeding, such as early selection and multi-age analyses, and proposes selection strategies that consider the quantity and quality of information provided by the models for each individual. (AU)

• Processo FAPESP: 23/04881-3 - Efeitos da endogamia em linhagens parcialmente endogâmicas de Eucalyptus spp: uma investigação quantitativa e molecular
• Beneficiário: Filipe Manoel Ferreira
• Modalidade de apoio: Bolsas no Brasil - Pós-Doutorado