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Genetic gains for yield after two back‐crosses of the interspecific hybrid Libusta (Coffea canephora P. × C. liberica Bull. Ex Hiern) to C. canephora P.
Author(s) -
Yapo A.,
Louarn J.,
Montag C.,
Weber W. E.
Publication year - 2003
Publication title -
plant breeding
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.583
H-Index - 71
eISSN - 1439-0523
pISSN - 0179-9541
DOI - 10.1046/j.1439-0523.2003.00839.x
Subject(s) - coffea canephora , biology , mating design , coffea , yield (engineering) , botany , horticulture , interspecific competition , rubiaceae , coffea arabica , hybrid , heterosis , materials science , metallurgy
The Libusta ( Coffea canephora P. × C. liberica B. ) programme initiated in the seventies in Côte d'Ivoire aims at improving the quality of coffee grown in low altitudes, with a yield comparable to current commercial C. canephora clones. The second generation of back‐crosses to the C. canephora (CAN) parent, BC2, are now likely to be commercially exploited as far as yield is concerned. The best BC2 progeny yielded 1386 kg of green coffee/ha/y, averaged over five harvest years. On average, the genetic gain for yield from BC1 to BC2 reached 22%. In a factorial mating design, no interaction was observed between BC1 and CAN parents, while both main effects were highly significant. This explained that observed genetic gains and further genetic gains may be achieved with appropriate strategies.