Genetic progress in maize from advanced cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection through REML/BLUP

Breeding methods such as reciprocal recurrent selection (RRS) is very important alternative to breeders. This strategy, besides allowing continuous genetic progress, helps maintaining the genetic variability of populations. The aim of the present study was to estimate genetic parameters, as well as to predict selection gains in advanced cycles of reciprocal recurrent selection of maize progenies through mixed models. Two selection cycles were considered. We evaluated 196 and 169 progenies in the 15 and 16 cycles, respectively. The yield potential of the progenies was evaluated from the following characteristics: grain yield, number of ears, weight of ears and weight of 100 seeds. The estimate of variance components and the prediction of genetic values were based on the REML/BLUP method. Overall, the genetic parameters were increased in the 16th cycle estimates compared to the previous cycle. It is worth highlighting that heritability coefficient for the grain yield was (0.81) in the 16th cycle, since it resulted in 21% of selection gain. Results showed that, even after sixteen recurrent selection cycles, the populations under selection have high potential for satisfactory genetic gains.