Efficiency of Selection Breeding Programs to Improve Yield and Root Quality of Turnip.

Assessment of breeding programs in Brassica species is essential for crop improvement. Field experiments were performed at the Experimental Station Farm, Alexandria University, Egypt, to assess the efficiency of the breeding programs simple recurrent selection, mass selection, and selfing with selection on improving yield and root quality of turnip (B. rapaL. var.rapa) from 2006 to 2009. The estimated coefficients of variation for plant weight, leaf number, leaf length, leaf area, and root weight, in a relatively large population of the turnip cv. Balady, reflected enough variability for selection and improvement. Generally, the results indicated that estimated values of the phenotypic correlation coefficients, for the possible pairs among traits, exemplified that 19 of the possible 91 relationships appeared significant and desirable for selection. Simple recurrent selection indicated superior influence on improving plant weight, leaf number, leaf dry matter, root weight, root diameter, and total yield, more than the other breeding methods. Root firmness in all selected populations decreased, reflecting reductions of root fiber, which increases root quality. There was high efficiency for the selection method to improve yield and root quality of turnip. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]