Heritabilities of five wheat quality traits for early generation selection

Abstract

Variance-component and standard-unit heritabilities were examined for five micro-prediction tests of wheat quality in the early segregating generations (F3 and F4) of a genetically diverse wheat population. Pearling resistance, Pelshenke time and 1000 kernel weight had high standard-unit heritabilities (72- 80%) as measured by correlation of F3 single plant data on F4 progeny row data. Flour yield (measured on a Brabender Quadrumat Junior mill) had an intermediate heritability (57%) while grain protein content had a low heritability (19%). Variance-component heritabilities were improved by selecting on a between-controls basis, but standard-unit heritabilities were reduced by the expression of results as a percentage of adjacent controls.