Genetic progress over twenty-three years of irrigated rice breeding in southeastern Brazil

ABSTRACT. The importance of rice (Oryza sativa) is indisputable this cereal is the staple food for half of the global population. Genetic progress estimation allows evaluation of the effectiveness of genetic improvement of crops and helps in the planning of breeding programs. This paper aims to estimate the genetic yield progress made by the program in the state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, which is run by the Epamig/UFV/Embrapa consortium. A total of 210 lines were evaluated by value for cultivation and use testing that was conducted in the municipalities of Janaúba, Leopoldina, and Lambari, from 1993 to 2016. Based on Vencovsky’s (1986) method, the genetic gains in Lambari, Janaúba, and Leopoldina were 1.46, 0.14, and 0.11%, respectively. The gain in Leopoldina was considered very low during the evaluated period. According to Breseghello’s (1998) method, the annual average genetic gain was 0.23 and 0.04% in Lambari and Janaúba, respectively. In Leopoldina, a yield gain of - 2.37% per year was observed for the evaluation period from 1994 to 1999, and a yield gain of 0.1% per year was observed from 2000 to 2016. These results can be explained by the focus on quality as a strategy for the breeding program in Minas Gerais State in the 1990s. Vencovsky’s (1986) and Breseghello’s (1998) methods were able to quantify yield gains and demonstrate the dynamics of the irrigated rice genetic improvement program in Minas Gerais State.