Comparison between three breeding methods in segregating generations of faba bean (Vicia faba L.) crosses

Abstract

This investigation was carried out in four winter seasons: 2017-– 18 (F 2 ), 2018 – 19 (F 3 ), 2019 – 20 (F 4 ), and 2020 – 21 (F 5 ) at Sakha Agricultural Research Station, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, Egypt, to study the comparison between three breeding methods: pedigree, bulk, and single pod descent for improving seed yield in segregating generations of faba bean crosses: (1) Triple White x Giza 429; (2) Ohishima-Zaira x Giza 429; (3) Giza 40 x Giza 429; and (4) Ohishima-Zaira x Foul Sbai labiade. The pedigree method had a superiority over the other two breeding methods for almost all studied traits in all crosses of the three generations, except for the cross 1 of the F 4 generation and the cross 4 of the F 5 generation, where the bulk method had a superiority. Narrow-sense heritability estimates were moderate in the four studied crosses of the three generations, with few exceptions. Predicted genetic advance estimates were moderate for the number of branches, pods, seeds, and seed yield per plant in all crosses of the three generations. While the same estimate was low for chocolate spot disease, flowering date, plant height and 100-seed weight in approximately all crosses of the three generations. Comparable predicted genetic advances were observed with respect to the two breeding methods for chocolate spot disease in F 3 and F 4 generations. while bulk exceeded that for single pod descent in the F 5 generation. The bulk method had a superiority over single-pod descent in the three generations for the number of pods and seeds per plant. The bulk method exceeded that for single pod descent in the F 5 generation for seed yield per plant. Broad-sense heritability was moderate under bulk as well as single pod descent methods for plant height, number of branches, pods, and seeds per plant, and seed yield per plant. Predicted genetic advance was considered moderate in most cases, except for chocolate spot disease in the cross 3 and 4 of all generations, rust disease in the cross 3 of F 3 and F 4 -generations, and flowering date in all crosses of all generations where the values were considered low.