Performance of recombinant inbred lines in Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera)

Summary Performance of a random array of recombinant inbred lines derived by single seed descent from five different source populations of Brussels sprouts (Brassica oleracea var. gemmifera) is presented. A total of 2,356 lines were tested in trials during 1985 and 1986. Three of the source populations were derived from double crosses between F₁ hybrids. These hybrids show a considerable heterotic advantage over their inbred parents for the most important agronomic traits. The recombinant inbred lines performed, on average, less well than the parental inbred material, indicating that additive x additive genie interactions may make a significant contribution to the performance of current inbred material. Nevertheless, the very large variation among the recombinant inbred lines permitted many lines to be identified which outperformed the best parental inbred for all traits. Two lines outperformed the reference F₁ hybrid, Gower, for an index that included marketable yield and quality. Consideration was also given to the dangers of misinterpreting phenotypically based proportions. Accordingly, response equations were used to ascertain the real genetic progress that was made. Advance seemed small when compared with the large heterotic effect, which is consistent with the segregation of a large number of loci. The distribution of the recombinant inbred lines was compared to predictions made from early generation trials. There was broad agreement but significant discrepancies existed which, it is suggested, may arise from the effects of genotype-environment interactions.