%0 Journal Article
%T Perspectives for the Use of Quantitative Genetics in Breeding of Autogamous Plants
%A Magno Antonio Patto Ramalho
%A Bruna Line Carvalho
%A Jos¨¦ Airton Rodrigues Nunes
%J ISRN Genetics
%D 2013
%R 10.5402/2013/718127
%X With the increased demand for food, the use of methods and alternatives that increase efficiency in selection of inbred lines is necessary. The use of quantitative genetics plays an important role in this respect, especially when the pedigree method is used in autogamous plants. This study proposes the inclusion of relationship information among progenies using the best linear unbiased predictor (BLUP) to obtain the breeding values of greater accuracy and, consequently, increase genetic gains from the selection. A strategy is proposed that aims to accelerate the program of obtaining perennial plant inbreds and use the greatest amount of information possible in selection so as to attain maximum accuracy. In that way, it would be possible to make inbreds available which are better than the existing ones, with greater frequency, meeting the agribusiness demand involved in production of perennial plants. 1. Introduction Plants considered to be autogamous are those in which self-fertilization is predominant, that is, the rate of cross-fertilization is less than 5% [1]. Strategies particular to the mode of reproduction are used in breeding these plants. Available information indicates that breeding of this type of plant has been successful in different regions of the world [2¨C4]. The two most traditional methods for conducting with segregating progenies of autogamous plants, the bulk method and pedigree method, were proposed in Europe at the end of the 19th century and beginning of the 20th century [5]. After that, other selection methods were proposed, aiming to reduce the deficiencies of the two methods mentioned above. Among them, the bulk method within progenies F2 or F3 [6] and the single seed descendent (SSD) [7¨C9] have also been widely used. Comparisons among these methods have been performed over time and, although in some cases differences have been detected among them [10¨C12], what is observed is that if they are well applied, all of them are efficient. It may be inferred that, even though it has occurred in some cases [13¨C15], the use of quantitative genetics for assisting breeders of autogamous plants has been much less than that used for alogamous plants [16, 17]. Along with the population growth expected for the coming decades, the demand for food will have expressive growth [18, 19]. As there is no longer great availability of noncropped land, the main option for meeting the demand for grains, fruit, and fibers is by means of increasing yield. One of the alternatives for increasing yield is by means of improvements in crop management. This is
%U http://www.hindawi.com/journals/isrn.genetics/2013/718127/