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Selection for Yield and Yield Components in Wheat¹

From an F₂ population of about 700 plants from across of two spring wheats (Triticum aestivum L.) CI 13242 and ‘Thatcher,’ 10 plants were selected for maximum expression of grain yield per plant, spike number/plant, kernel number/spike, spikelet number/spike, and kernel weight. In each subsequent generation through the F₈, selection lines for each of the five characters were advanced by selecting the 10 plants with the highest value from a population of about 400 plants. A performance trial was conducted at three locations in 1 year with five generations (F₄ to F₈) of each of the five selection lines and the two parents. Yield and yield components were evaluated and compared with midparent values and as linear regressions on generation number. Selection for kernel weight and kernels/spike at the F₈ generation gave 11 and 16% increases in yield over the midparent, whereas direct effects of selection for these two characteristics were 13 and 10%, respectively. Direct effects of selection for grain yield and spikes/m² at the F₈ generation were significantly lower than the midparent (—13 and —7%). Nonsymmetrical correlated responses for increased kernel weight with selection for high kernel number and for decreased kernel number with selection for high kernel weight were large and unexpected. Spike number per plant was not an effective selection criterion for increasing spike number per m₂ or grain yield. Only 3 of 20 regression coefficients for response in the F₄ through F₈ generations were significant, compared with 15 of 20 significant differences from the midparent at F₈. Apparently selection was effective in the F₂ and F₃ generations (13 of 20 midparent differences were significant at F₄), with little subsequent response. In this population, kernel weight and kernel number per spike were good characters for indirect selection for yield improvement.

Key Words: Correlated selection response • Triticum aestivum L.

² Research agronomist, SEA-USDA, Montana State Univ., Bozeman, MT 59717.

³ Professor, Dep. of Agronomy and Range Sci., Univ. of California, Davis, CA 95616.

⁴ Superintendent, Southern Agric. Research Center, Montana Agric. Exp. Stn., Huntley, MT 59037.

⁵ Superintendent, Northwestern Agric. Research Center, Montana Agric. Exp. Stn., Kalispell, MT 59901.

Received for publication January 17, 1978.

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