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In the above mentioned publication, the affiliations of the last 4 authors were interchanged.

Sweetpotato is a good source of energy, easy-to-grow and hardy and thus useful in contributing to food security. The current study aimed at identification of the best sweetpotato varieties for multiple desirable traits such as good yield, adaptability (including vine vigor) and tastiness (high dry mass content; taste). Ten South African sweetpotato varieties were evaluated during the period 2002/3–2007/8 at six locations each over two seasons. The sites regression model (SREG) of the genotype plus genotype by environment interaction (GGE) biplot analysis was performed with GenStat to determine stability and adaptability of the varieties. Subsequently, multiple trait selection was performed by using the ranking from Elston index selection. To enable inclusion of varietal stability in multiple trait selection, a stability value was calculated. High yielding varieties included Blesbok, Monate, Ndou and Letlhabula, of which Monate and Letlhabula had stable performance. The advantage, particularly for resource-poor farmers, of a specifically adapted, responsive variety such as Ndou, is the ability to respond to changes in the environment. Based on multiple trait selection varieties Ndou and Monate were recommended for production. The results present an innovative use of Elston index selection, including a stability value, in combination with GGE SREG for recommending varieties with multiple desirable traits. The recommended varieties are of significance for future use to improve food security.

Top ranking varieties are tested in multiple environments before and after registration in order to assess their value for cultivation and use (VCU testing). Recently, interest has increased in obtaining varieties specifically adapted to organic farming conditions. This raised the question if an independent system of trials may be required for this purpose. To help answering this question, through the exchange network of European cereal researchers SUSVAR (www.cost860.dk), a number of data sets of agronomic traits from barley, wheat and winter triticale, from trials performed in Denmark, Sweden, The Netherlands, France, Switzerland, UK and Germany, were made available and analysed using an approach based on mixed models involving parameters describing genetic correlation between the two types of experiments, i.e., organic and non-organic (high or low input). Estimated variance components and correlations were used to evaluate response to selection and index selection. The response to index selection was analysed as a function of the fraction of available trials assigned to the organic system. The genetic correlations were interpreted in terms of ranking agreement. We found high genetic correlations between both systems for most traits in all countries. Despite high genetic correlations, the chances of very good agreement in observed rankings were moderate. Combining information from both organic and non-organic systems is shown to be beneficial. Further, ignoring information from non-organic trials when making decisions regarding performance under organic conditions is a sub-optimal strategy.

Broad-sense heritability, and genetic and phenotypic correlations were estimated for yield (nut-in-shell; kernel yield; and net present value of crop) per tree in macadamia to 10 years after planting from a trial of 40 cultivars replicated over 4locations. In addition, canopy width at 10years of age was measured and used to calculate yield efficiency as yield per square metre of projected canopy area. Stem girth above the graft union was also measured. There was a low broad-sense heritability (0.06 < H

Genetic analysis of yield and morphological traits has been carried out in Coffea arabica from a half-diallel including the parental lines. The trial was established in west Cameroon with completely randomized single-tree plots. Observations included yield (four years), stem diameter, height and number of primaries. General combining abilities (GCA) and specific combining abilities (SCA) as heritabilities and genetic correlations were estimated. A significant SCA variance was observed for all the traits. Morphological traits, stem diameter, plant height and number of primaries, were genetically correlated to the yield. The hybrids were, on average, better performing than lines. There was no clear relationship between performance of lines and their general combining ability. Contribution of the seven lines to the SCA sum of squares was shown to be unequal for all the studied traits, one parent (Java) being far the most interactive. This variation of interactivity seemed to be related to different levels of residual heterozygosity among parental lines. Indirect prediction of yield using morphological traits gave the same value for expected genetic gain as the prediction based on cumulated yield over four years. The multitrait indirect selection for yield operated in a different way as far as GCA and SCA are concerned. The application of these results to coffee breeding strategies involving hybrid selection is discussed.

Selection index updating, a method of multistage selection, allows breeders to determine the optimal truncation point of each stage so that the aggregate genetic gain (▵H) or the gain to cost ratio (▵H/C) is maximum. In this study, we demonstrated the use of selection index updating on selection of red clover (Trifolium pratense L.). We determined the optimal selection schemes that optimized the balance between cost saving and lowered genetic gain in multistage selection. A total of 78 red clover half-sib families were evaluated for petiole length (PL), seedling vigor (Vig) measured at the seedling stage, and canopy height and individual plant dry weight recorded on initial growth (CH1 and DW1) and regrowth (CH2 and DW2). Alternative selection schemes with different number of stages, traits, and proportions selected at various stages were examined to maximize either ▵H or ▵H/C. Single stage index selection had a greater predicted genetic gain than multistage selection, but it was also associated with higher costs. Early culling at the seedling stage resulted in significant cost savings and increased gain to cost ratio. The ratio was 9.857 or more with early culling and 3.062 or less without seedling selection. The most efficient selection programs consisted of PL, Vig, DW1, and DW2. Inclusion of CH1 and CH2 into the selection indices did not contribute to the increase of the total genetic gain, nor to the increase of the ratio.

The objective of the study was to examine the usefulness of: principal component scores (PC), factor analysis cum stepwise regression identified traits (FASR) and selected traits based on their higher heritabilities and genetic correlations to the objective traits (HGC); as selection traits in a desired gains selection index (Yamada et al., 1975) to improve objective traits (oil yield, kernel oil yield, height increment, bunch index and leaf area ratio) as compared to those based on all the observed traits (AO); in selecting oil palm ortets for cloning. Based on the required selection intensities (i*) to achieve the desired gains AO indices having smaller i*'s were most efficient followed by PC, HGC and FASR indices. Expected selection response (1/i*), however, is expected to increase with additional selection traits. As such HGC (bunch number, kernel to fruit and mesocarp to fruit) and FASR (mesocarp to fruit, fresh fruit bunch yield, fruit to bunch and average bunch weight) indices would be useful as they achieved expected selection responses close to AO indices with a small number of traits and would also minimise the contribution of highly correlated traits to sampling errors. The results also suggested considering selection indices for only two objective traits-oid yield and kernel oil yield-instead of all five objective traits in which case screening of impracticably large populations is needed to obtain desired genetic gains.

Selection indices at different stages of selection were estimated for a biparental mating population of sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.). At the seedling stage indices constructed from primary characters are better than selection for yield alone. At the clonal stage the superiority of index selection over direct selection was marginal. In the seedling stage, selection based on index can lead to better selection efficiency in succeeding clonal stages. This was confirmed by a sample study.

Estimates of phenotypic and genotypic variances and covariances for a number of quantitative characters in arabica coffee, obtained from a variety trial in Kenya, were used to construct selection indices. The results indicated that the expected genetic advance in yield based on a selection index, containing the first two years yield and measurements of girth at base of stem and percentage bearing primaries, will be almost as large (relative efficiency 97%) as that obtained by straight selection based on 10-years yield totals. This would imply that a breeding cycle of 5 years will be sufficient for efficient selection for higher productivity in arabica coffee.

Harvest index of grain crops is defined as grain yield divided by total plant yield. We estimated the heritability percentages of harvest index and its components, grain yield and plant weight, the genotypic and phenotypic correlations among these three traits, and the genotypic correlations of harvest index with plant height, 100-seed weight, grain number, and heading date by using a population of 1200 F9-derived oat lines tested in six environments. Furthermore, we examined the relative selection efficiencies of indirect selection for yield through harvest index and of index selection for yield through yield plus harvest index.

Phenotypic and genotypic correlations were examined for four traits in seven populations of maize (Zea mays L.) undergoing recurrent selection. Correlations among grain yield and percentage of grain moisture, root lodging, and stalk lodging were low (|r| 0.5). Two indices, one that used heritabilities as index weights and one that used relative economic weights (base index) as index weights, were compared with the Smith-Hazel index (optimim index). Relative efficiencies of the two indices, in terms of predicted gains for the individual traits and the composite trait, compared with the Smith-Hazel index, were high. The use of an index in which heritabilities were used as index weights was recommended because:1) the heritabilities were the same as the optimum weights when the traits were uncorrelated, and for the data examined the correlations were low; and 2) heritabilities were computed in routine data analyses and were available at no additional cost.

We evaluated cold-tolerance responses of 144 plant introductions (PI) of maize (Zea mays L.), attempting to include in our sample at least one PI adapted to each of the countries or ecological zones respresented in the maize germplasm collection at the North Central Regional Plant Introduction Station at Ames, Iowa, USA. Plant introductions were grown for 42 days in plastic boxes (26 cm long × 19 cm wide × 10 cm deep) in a growth chamber maintained at 10±1 °C. Cold-tolerance responses of each PI were evaluated by three traits: 1) percentage emergence (recorded 30 days after planting), 2) emergence index, an estimate of rate of emergence, and 3) seedling dry weight (sampled 42 days after planting). Estimates of variances and heritabilities for these three traits were large, suggesting that genotypic variation for cold tolerance in the maize germplasm collection would be sufficient to permit selection advance. Furthermore, genotypic correlations among the three traits were high: therefore, improvement by index selection should be possible. Correlations between the cold-tolerance traits and days from planting to 50% silk emergence (an estimate of maturity obtained at Ames. Iowa, USA) were low. Days from planting to 50% silking emergence for the 25 most cold-tolerant PI's ranged from 46 for PI 214279 from Canada to 106 for PI 331440 from Ethiopia. It should be possible, therefore, to develop cold-tolerant genotypes adapted to all latitudes.