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ARS Home » Midwest Area » East Lansing, Michigan » Sugarbeet and Bean Research » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #150541
Title: SEED INCREASES IN MICHIGAN

Author
item McGrath, Jon
item Duckert, Timothy
item Koppin, Teresa

Submitted to: Annual Beet Sugar Development Foundation Research Report
Publication Type: Other
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/1/2003
Publication Date: 5/1/2003
Citation: MCGRATH, J.M., DUCKERT, T.M., KOPPIN, T.K. SEED INCREASES IN MICHIGAN. 2002 ANNUAL BEET SUGAR DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION RESEARCH REPORT. 2003. p. D6.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Seed production in the field using overwintered stecklings, specifically for breeding improved populations, can be accomplished in Michigan specifically in mild winters. Large plot seed increases are currently done in Oregon. Inter-pollinating advanced breeding materials for population improvement, such as the early generation breeding populations, is an important genetic resource for continued selection for improved germplasm. Typically, seed increases in the greenhouse result in limited seed yield from a small number of parents. Field multiplication allows more plants to contribute to the seed, provides a greater opportunity to select desirable plant forms (high seed yield, strong seed stalks), and increases chances of desired recombination of characters present in some but not all parents in the founding population. Characterization of the over 10,000 seedlots stored at East Lansing, many under sub-optimal storage conditions, will require regeneration of promising germplasm for proper agronomic evaluations. Expanding seed multiplication efforts to include field increases will help reduce the time for germplasm evaluation and release.