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ARS Home » Pacific West Area » Corvallis, Oregon » Horticultural Crops Research Unit » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #340278
Title: Genotype by environment interactions and combining ability for strawberry families grown in diverse environments

Author
item MATHEY, MEGAN - Oregon State University
item MOOKERJEE, SONALI - Michigan State University
item MAHONEY, LISE - University Of New Hampshire
item GÜNDÜZ, KAZIM - Mustafa Kemal University
item ROSYARA, UMESH - Michigan State University
item HANCOCK, JAMES - Michigan State University
item STEWART, PHILIP - Driscoll'S
item WHITAKER, VANCE - University Of Florida
item Bassil, Nahla
item DAVIS, THOMAS - University Of New Hampshire
item Finn, Chad

Submitted to: Euphytica
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/3/2017
Publication Date: 5/2/2017
Citation: Mathey, M.M., Mookerjee, S., Mahoney, L.L., Gündüz, K., Rosyara, U., Hancock, J.F., Stewart, P.J., Whitaker, V.M., Bassil, N.V., Davis, T.M., Finn, C.E. 2017. Genotype by environment interactions and combining ability for strawberry families grown in diverse environments. Euphytica. 213(5):112. doi: 10.1007/s10681-017-1892-6.

Interpretive Summary: Ten offspring from crosses (36) made among specific parents representing eastern and western North American short day and remontant (reblooming) genotypes were evaluated in California, Michigan, New Hampshire and Oregon, for phenology, flower related traits, plant characteristics, fruit characteristics and fruit chemistry traits. There was significant variability among genotypes, locations and evaluation year for most of the characteristics; however, few genotype × location and genotype × year interactions were detected. General combining ability variance components were significant for all traits and greater than SCA variance components for peduncle length, total flowering weeks, flowering cycles, truss size, growing degree days for harvest data, remontancy, achene position, ease of capping, fruit weight, percent soluble solids, titratable acidity and soluble solids/titratable acidity. This indicates that the type of variability breeders utilize in their breeding program, additive genetic variance, is largely responsible for the offspring's appearance and so we should be able to use this plant material to breed for improved characteristics for these traits. ‘Sarian’ was identified as the best parent to contribute towards offspring that are remontant. Having a better understanding of these attributes will provide breeders guidance on the most effective breeding strategies for incorporating superior traits from this germplasm into their programs.

Technical Abstract: Ten seedlings from 36 crosses representing eastern and western North American short day and remontant genotypes were evaluated in 2011 and 2012 in California, Michigan, New Hampshire and Oregon, for phenology, flower related traits, plant characteristics, fruit characteristics and fruit chemistry traits. There was significant variability among genotypes, locations and evaluation year for most of the characteristics; however, few genotype × location and genotype × year interactions were detected. General combining ability variance components were significant for all traits and greater than SCA variance components for peduncle length, total flowering weeks, flowering cycles, truss size, growing degree days for harvest data, remontancy, achene position, ease of capping, fruit weight, percent soluble solids, titratable acidity and soluble solids/titratable acidity. ‘Sarian’ was identified as the best contributing parent for remontancy. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were moderate to high (0.33-0.78) for total flowering weeks, flowering cycle, truss size, remontancy, number of runners, fruit weight, pH, and titratable acidity. Having a better understanding of these attributes will provide breeders guidance on the most effective breeding strategies for incorporating superior traits from this germplasm into their programs.