Accelerating genetic gain through early-stage on-farm sparse testing

Most African crop breeding programs conduct early-stage selection at very few research stations, which may not reflect smallholder farm conditions. Early-stage on-farm sparse testing utilizes genomic relationships to shift selection from research stations to hundreds of farms in the target population of environments, facilitating increased genetic gain in farmers’ fields. Most African crop breeding programs conduct early-stage selection at very few research stations, which may not reflect smallholder farm conditions. Early-stage on-farm sparse testing utilizes genomic relationships to shift selection from research stations to hundreds of farms in the target population of environments, facilitating increased genetic gain in farmers’ fields.