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In a context of increasing environmental challenges, there is an emerging demand for plant cultivars that are adapted to cultivation in species mixture. It is thus pressing to look for the optimization of selection schemes to grow species mixtures, and especially recurrent selection schemes which are at the core of the improvement of many plant species. We considered the case of two populations from different species to be improved by recurrent selection for their performances in mixture. We set up an analytical model of performances in mixture. We expressed the expected responses of the performances in mixture to one cycle of selection in the case of a Reciprocal Mixture Ability selection scheme and of two parallel selection schemes aiming to improve General Mixture Abilities or performances in pure stands. We numerically compared these selection schemes when half-sib or topcross progeny families of selection candidates are tested in mixture. Selection in pure stands appeared efficient within a limited range of genetic correlations between pure stand performance and mixture model effects. The Reciprocal Mixture Ability selection scheme was expected to be less efficient than parallel selections for General Mixture Ability in some situations. The last option enables to control the ratio of expected responses of species contributions to the mixture performance without bias when using selection indices. When more than two species are be improved for their performances in mixture, the advantage of parallel selections for General Mixture Ability is even more marked, providing that compensation trends between species are not too prevalent.

Identification of quantitative trait loci (QTL) involved in the variation of hybrid value is of key importance for cross-pollinated species such as maize (Zea mays L.). In a companion paper, we illustrated a new QTL mapping population design involving a factorial mating between two multiparental segregating populations. Six biparental line populations were developed from four founder lines in the Dent and Flint heterotic groups. They were crossed to produce 951 hybrids and evaluated for silage performances. Previously, a linkage analysis (LA) model that assumes each founder line carries a different allele was used to detect QTL involved in General and Specific Combining Abilities (GCA and SCA, respectively) of hybrid value. This previously introduced model requires the estimation of numerous effects per locus, potentially affecting QTL detection power. Using the same design, we compared this “Founder alleles” model to two more parsimonious models, which assume that (i) identity in state at SNP alleles from the same heterotic group implies identity by descent (IBD) at linked QTL (“SNP within-group” model) or (ii) identity in state implies IBD, regardless of population origin of the alleles (“Hybrid genotype” model). This last model assumes biallelic QTL with equal effects in each group. It detected more QTL on average than the two other models but explained lower percentages of variance. The “SNP within-group” model appeared to be a good compromise between the two other models. These results confirm the divergence between the Dent and Flint groups. They also illustrate the need to adapt the QTL detection model to the complexity of the allelic variation, which depends on the trait, the QTL, and the divergence between the heterotic groups.

International audience; Key messageSilage quality traits of maize hybrids between the Dent and Flint heterotic groups mostly involved QTL specific of each parental group, some of them showing unfavorable pleiotropic effects on yield.AbstractMaize (Zea mays L.) is commonly used as silage for cattle feeding in Northern Europe. In addition to biomass production, improving whole-plant digestibility is a major breeding objective. To identify loci involved in the general (GCA, parental values) and specific combining ability (SCA, cross-specific value) components of hybrid value, we analyzed an incomplete factorial design of 951 hybrids obtained by crossing inbred lines issued from two multiparental connected populations, each specific to one of the heterotic groups used for silage in Europe (Dent and Flint). Inbred lines were genotyped for approximately 20K single nucleotide polymorphisms, and hybrids were phenotyped in eight environments for seven silage quality traits measured by near-infrared spectroscopy, biomass yield and precocity (partly analyzed in a previous study). We estimated variance components for GCA and SCA and their interaction with environment. We performed QTL detection using different models adapted to this hybrid population. Strong family effects and a predominance of GCA components compared to SCA were found for all traits. In total, 230 QTL were detected, with only two showing SCA effects significant at the whole-genome level. More than 80% of GCA QTL were specific of one heterotic group. QTL explained individually less than 5% of the phenotypic variance. QTL co-localizations and correlation between QTL effects of quality and productivity traits suggest at least partial pleiotropic effects. This work opens new prospects for improving maize hybrid performances for both biomass productivity and quality accounting for complementarities between heterotic groups.

Understanding genetic architecture of hybrid performances is important for species showing heterosis. Giraud et al. evaluated an..., Several plant and animal species of agricultural importance are commercialized as hybrids to take advantage of the heterosis phenomenon. Understanding the genetic architecture of hybrid performances is therefore of key importance. We developed two multiparental maize (Zea mays L.) populations, each corresponding to an important heterotic group (dent or flint) and comprised of six connected biparental segregating populations of inbred lines (802 and 822 lines for each group, respectively) issued from four founder lines. Instead of using “testers” to evaluate their hybrid values, segregating lines were crossed according to an incomplete factorial design to produce 951 dent–flint hybrids, evaluated for four biomass production traits in eight environments. QTL detection was carried out for the general-combining-ability (GCA) and specific-combining-ability (SCA) components of hybrid value, considering allelic effects transmitted from each founder line. In total, 42 QTL were detected across traits. We detected mostly QTL affecting GCA, 31% (41% for dry matter yield) of which also had mild effects on SCA. The small impact of dominant effects is consistent with the known differentiation between the dent and flint heterotic groups and the small percentage of hybrid variance due to SCA observed in our design (∼20% for the different traits). Furthermore, most (80%) of GCA QTL were segregating in only one of the two heterotic groups. Relative to tester-based designs, use of hybrids between two multiparental populations appears highly cost efficient to detect QTL in two heterotic groups simultaneously. This presents new prospects for selecting superior hybrid combinations with markers.

Understanding genetic architecture of hybrid performances is important for species showing heterosis. Giraud et al. evaluated an... Several plant and animal species of agricultural importance are commercialized as hybrids to take advantage of the heterosis phenomenon. Understanding the genetic architecture of hybrid performances is therefore of key importance. We developed two multiparental maize (Zea mays L.) populations, each corresponding to an important heterotic group (dent or flint) and comprised of six connected biparental segregating populations of inbred lines (802 and 822 lines for each group, respectively) issued from four founder lines. Instead of using “testers” to evaluate their hybrid values, segregating lines were crossed according to an incomplete factorial design to produce 951 dent–flint hybrids, evaluated for four biomass production traits in eight environments. QTL detection was carried out for the general-combining-ability (GCA) and specific-combining-ability (SCA) components of hybrid value, considering allelic effects transmitted from each founder line. In total, 42 QTL were detected across traits. We detected mostly QTL affecting GCA, 31% (41% for dry matter yield) of which also had mild effects on SCA. The small impact of dominant effects is consistent with the known differentiation between the dent and flint heterotic groups and the small percentage of hybrid variance due to SCA observed in our design (∼20% for the different traits). Furthermore, most (80%) of GCA QTL were segregating in only one of the two heterotic groups. Relative to tester-based designs, use of hybrids between two multiparental populations appears highly cost efficient to detect QTL in two heterotic groups simultaneously. This presents new prospects for selecting superior hybrid combinations with markers.

Multiparental designs combined with dense genotyping of parents have been proposed as a way to increase the diversity and resolution of quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping studies, using methods combining linkage disequilibrium information with linkage analysis (LDLA). Two new nested association mapping designs adapted to European conditions were derived from the complementary dent and flint heterotic groups of maize (Zea mays L.). Ten biparental dent families (N = 841) and 11 biparental flint families (N = 811) were genotyped with 56,110 single nucleotide polymorphism markers and evaluated as test crosses with the central line of the reciprocal design for biomass yield, plant height, and precocity. Alleles at candidate QTL were defined as (i) parental alleles, (ii) haplotypic identity by descent, and (iii) single-marker groupings. Between five and 16 QTL were detected depending on the model, trait, and genetic group considered. In the flint design, a major QTL (R2 = 27%) with pleiotropic effects was detected on chromosome 10, whereas other QTL displayed milder effects (R2 < 10%). On average, the LDLA models detected more QTL but generally explained lower percentages of variance, consistent with the fact that most QTL display complex allelic series. Only 15% of the QTL were common to the two designs. A joint analysis of the two designs detected between 15 and 21 QTL for the five traits. Of these, between 27 for silking date and 41% for tasseling date were significant in both groups. Favorable allelic effects detected in both groups open perspectives for improving biomass production.