Genetic trends in the Kenya Highland Maize Breeding Program between 1999 and 2020.

ABSTRACT: Optimization of a breeding program requires assessing and quantifying empirical genetic trends made through past efforts relative to the current breeding strategies, germplasm, technologies, and policy. To establish the genetic trends in the Kenyan Highland Maize Breeding Program (KHMP), a two-decade (1999-2020) historical dataset from the Preliminary Variety Trials (PVT) and Advanced Variety Trials (AVT) was analyzed. A mixed model analysis was used to compute the genetic gains for traits based on the best linear unbiased estimates in the PVT and AVT evaluation stages. A positive significant genetic gain estimate for grain yield of 88 kg ha^-1 year^-1 (1.94% year^-1) and 26 kg ha^-1 year^-1 (0.42% year^-1) was recorded for PVT an

SUBMITTER: Ligeyo DO 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11246847 | biostudies-literature | 2024

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature