Abstract

High precision experimental statistics for the selection of common bean lines that have superior agronomic performance

The identification of a single statistic that allows selection of superior genotypes for several agronomic traits with high experimental precision would be useful for bean breeding programs. We examined correlations between 12 statistics for agronomic traits to determine which would be useful for the selection of common bean lines that have superior agronomic performance. For this purpose, 21 experiments were carried out between 1998 and 2015, evaluating 156 common bean genotypes and seven agronomic traits. Error mean square presented a positive correlation estimate from intermediate to high magnitude with the coefficient of experimental variation and a significant minimum difference. Thus, these statistics are not adequate to evaluate the experimental precision of traits that confer high agronomic performance in common beans. Genotype mean square showed a positive correlation with the statistics: F-test value for genotype, coefficient of genetic variation, heritability, coefficient of relative variation and selective accuracy; these statistics were correlated with each other for most of the traits. Correlated statistics gave information similar as to the experimental precision of a trait, so they should not be used together. Selective accuracy (SA) is recommended as a classification measure of experimental precision in the selection of common bean lines that have superior agronomic performance in Value of Cultivation and Use experiments. The SA makes the correct ranking of the common bean genotypes for agronomic performance traits possible, based on genetic superiority; consequently, SA should be implemented in the routine of common bean breeding programs

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