Soybean breeding: comparison of the efficiency of different selection methods

The following study was conducted in order to compare the modified single-seed descent method of selection used in soybean breeding at the Institute of Field and Vegetable Crops in Novi Sad, Serbia, with the standard bulk method and the pedigree method. The source materials for the development of hybrid populations were 15 genotypes, and a total of 10 cross combinations were made. Comparison of the lines developed by the different breeding methods was done in the F6 generation. Genetic gain from selection was taken as the main indicator of efficiency of the tested methods. The modified single-seed descent method produced the best results. In most cases, the mean values for seed yield of the populations developed by that method were significantly higher than the values shown in the populations developed by the other 2 methods. The advantages of using genetic gain as the indicator of breeding efficiency were clearly demonstrated when interpreting the results for seed yield and yield components. Populations possessing desirable traits were easier to perceive, which is exceedingly useful when breeding for a complex trait such as yield.