Genotype selection based on multiple traits in cotton crops: The application of genotype by yield*trait biplot

ABSTRACT. In cotton crops, the cotton seed yield significantly contributes with the success of any cultivar. However, other traits are considered when an ideotype is pointed out in the selection, such as the fiber quality traits. The aim of this study was to applied genotype by yield*trait (GYT) biplot to a multi-environment trial data of cotton genotypes and selected the best genotypes. For this end, thirteen genotypes from nineteen trials were assessed. Seven traits were evaluated [cotton seed yield (SY), fiber percentage (FP), fiber length (FL), fiber uniformity (FU), short fiber index (SFI), fiber strength (FS), and elongation (EL)] and residual error variances structures [identity variance (IDV) and diagonal (Diag)] were tested by bayesian information criterion. After, the REML/BLUP approach was applied to predict the genetic values of each trait and the selective accuracy were measured from the prediction. Then, the GYT-biplot were applied to the data. For SP and SFI traits, the model with Diag residual variance was indicated, whereas for SY FL, FU, FS, and EL traits the model with IDV residual variance demonstrated the best fit to the data. Values of accuracy were higher than 0.9 for all traits analyzed. In the GYT-biplot acute angles were find for all traits relations, which means high correlation between the yield*traits combination. Besides that, the correlation still can be seen in the GYT-biplot, as shown by the magnitudes of the angles between the pairs Yield*FU-Yield*FS and Yield*FS-Yield*EL. Also, the GYT-biplot indicates the genotype G4 with the best performance for Yield*FS, Yield*SFI, Yield*FU, Yield*FL, and Yield*FP combined. The genotypes G4, G1, G13, G8, and G9 represent those genotypes with yield advantage over the other cultivars. Then, the genotype G4 combines all desirable characteristics and demonstrate have large potential in the cotton breeding. The GYT approach were valuable and were highly recommended in cotton breeding programs for selection purpose in a multivariate scenario.