Multi-trait selection for nutritional and physiological quality of cacao genotypes in irrigated and non-irrigated environments Maurício S. Araújo, Saulo F. S. Chaves, Guilherme R. Pereira, Matheus H. D. Guimarães, Andressa K. S. Alves, et al. Scientific Reports, 2024 Water is a scarce, strategic resource and the most important input for economic development, especially in agricultural countries such as Brazil. Cocoa production is directly related to water availability, and, as climate changes, selecting drought-tolerant genotypes is vital to keep cacao crops sustainable. Here, we evaluated cacao genotypes under irrigated and water-stressed conditions and selected drought-tolerant ones based on nutritional and physiological traits. Thirty-nine genotypes were monitored for three years for agronomic traits and higher fruit yield. After this evaluation, the 18 most promising genotypes were evaluated in a randomized block design, under a 2 (with and without irrigation) $$\\times$$ × 18 (genotypes) factorial arrangement, with three replicates and five plants per plot. We evaluated seven physiological and 11 nutritional traits, selecting genotypes based on the Genotype-by-Trait Biplot approach. Significant effects (p < 0.05) were observed for the nutritional traits N, P, Mg, S, Zn, Cu, Mn and for the physiological traits CO2 assimilation rate (A), stomatal conductance (gs), transpiration (E), intercellular and atmospheric CO2 concentrations (Ci/Ca), intrinsic water use efficiency (A/gs), instantaneous water use efficiency (A/E), and instantaneous carboxylation efficiency (A/Ci), as determined by analysis of variance. The genotype $$\\times$$ × irrigation treatment interaction was significant (p < 0.05) for the traits A, gs, and E. Genotypes CP 41, CP 43, and CCN 51 exhibited superior performance for both nutritional and physiological traits (A, gs, and E). In the irrigated environment, CP 41 showed superiority in traits such as P, A/E, A/gs, Mn, S, and Zn. Conversely, under non-irrigated conditions, CP 43 exhibited better performance in nutritional properties, specifically Mn, Mg, and Zn. Notably, in both irrigated and non-irrigated environments, CCN 51 excelled in key physiological traits, including A/Ci, A/E, and A/gs. This robust performance across diverse conditions suggests that these three genotypes possess physiological mechanisms to endure water-stressed conditions. Our research can generate valuable insights into these genotypes informing suitable choices for cocoa cultivation, especially in the context of global climate change.
ProbBreed: a novel tool for calculating the risk of cultivar recommendation in multienvironment trials Saulo F S Chaves, Matheus D Krause, Luiz A S Dias, Antonio A F Garcia, Kaio O G Dias G3 Genes Genomes Genetics, 2024 Neglecting genotype-by-environment interactions in multienvironment trials (MET) increases the risk of flawed cultivar recommendations for growers. Recent advancements in probability theory coupled with cutting-edge software offer a more streamlined decision-making process for selecting suitable candidates across diverse environments. Here, we present the user-friendly ProbBreed package in R, which allows breeders to calculate the probability of a given genotype outperforming competitors under a Bayesian framework. This article outlines the package’s basic workflow and highlights its key features, ranging from MET model fitting to estimating the per se and pairwise probabilities of superior performance and stability for selection candidates. Remarkably, only the selection intensity is required to compute these probabilities. By democratizing this complex yet efficient methodology, ProbBreed aims to enhance decision-making and ultimately contribute to more accurate cultivar recommendations in breeding programs.
Correlation between leaf nutrient contents and grain, oil and protein productivities in Jatropha curcas L Djair Felix da Silva, Luiz Antônio Dos Santos Dias, Fábio Santos Matos Revista Facultad Nacional De Agronomia Medellin, 2023 In plants, several chemical elements are found in different concentrations and formulations. Some of these elements influence each other, either through positive stimulation or inhibition. This study evaluated the correlation between nutrient contents and production components of Jatropha (Jatropha curcas L.). The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Viçosa-MG, Brazil. A randomized block design with four replications was used. The treatments consisted of six Jatropha clones transplanted 4.5 years ago, from the municipalities of Janaúba and Bomfim, in Minas Gerais, Brazil. Yield was determined by harvesting the ripe and dried fruits, and the oil and protein contents in the grains were obtained by nuclear magnetic resonance. To determine nutrient contents, leaves were collected when the plants were in flowering, with yellow fruits and when the fruits were dry. There was a significant and negative association between grain yield and Mg content. Regarding foliar nutrient contents, the positive (r) significant correlations were between the following pairs: (N and S, r=0.554); (N and Cu, r=0.460); (P and Ca, r=0.420); (K and Zn, r=0.511); (K and Cu, r=0.506); (Ca and Mg, r=0.603); (Zn and Fe, r=0.662); (Zn and Mn, r=0.795); (Zn and Cu, r=0.574); (Fe and Mn, r=0.528) and (Mn and Cu, r=0.479); and the negative ones were between: (K and Ca, r=-0.596); (K and Mg, r=-0.673); (Mg and Cu, r=-0.506). Therefore, it was possible to prove the existence of nutritional interaction between some elements, as well as the effects on grain yields. This research will serve as a basis for studies to recommend fertilizer doses, plant improvement through nutritional efficiency, and studies in the area of biochemistry.
Analysis of repeated measures data through mixed models: An application in Theobroma grandiflorum breeding Saulo F. S. Chaves, Rodrigo S. Alves, Luiz A. S. Dias, Rafael M. Alves, Kaio O. G. Dias, et al. Crop Science, 2023 Theobroma grandiflorum is a perennial fruit tree native to the Amazon region. As a perennial species with continuous production throughout the years, breeders should seek well‐conducted trials, accurate phenotyping and adequate statistical models for genetic evaluation and selection that can leverage the information provided by the repeated measures. We evaluated 13 models with different covariance structures for genetic and residual effects for T. grandiflorum evaluation, using an unbalanced dataset with 34 hybrids from the triple‐crossing of nine parents, planted in a randomized complete block design. For nine consecutive years, the fruit yield of these hybrids was evaluated. Each model had its goodness‐of‐fit tested by the Akaike information criterion. The most adequate model for estimating the variance components and the breeding values were modelled with the first‐order heterogeneous autoregressive for residual effects and third‐order factor analytic for genetic effects. From this model, we used the factor analytic selection tools for selecting the top 10 families, providing a genetic gain of 10.42%. These results are important not only for T. grandiflorum breeding but also to show that in any repeated measures' data from fruit‐bearing perennial species the modelling of genetic and residual effects should not be neglected.
Genetic evaluation and selection of cocoa tree clones Maria Eduarda da Silva Guimarães, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Caio Márcio Vasconcellos Cordeiro de Almeida, Carlos Alberto Spaggiari Souza, Odimar Ferreira Almeida, et al. Ciencia Rural, 2022
Maturation fruits and drying on quality of crambe seeds Hugo Tiago Ribeiro Amaro, Eduardo Fontes Araujo, Roberto Fontes Araujo, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Fabrício Welington Souza Silva, et al. Journal of Seed Science, 2021
Genetic evaluation and selection in Jatropha curcas L. Poliane Marcele Ribeiro Cardoso, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Marcos Deon Vilela de Resende, Ricardo Galvão de Freitas, Thais Roseli Corrêa, et al. Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology, 2018
Cacao yield in different planting densities Carlos Alberto Spaggiari Souza, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Marco Antonio Galeas Aguilar, Sabrina Sonegheti, Jéferson Oliveira, et al. Brazilian Archives of Biology and Technology, 2009
Correlation and repeatability in progenies of African oil palm Acta Scientiarum Agronomy, 2008
Selection among and within and combined selection in oil palm families derived from Dura x Dura (Ciencia Rural (2008) 38, 1, (65-71)) Ciencia Rural, 2008
Diversity of cacao fat in germplasm from Rondônia, Brazil Crop Breeding and Applied Biotechnology, 2008
Effect of selective thinning on the genetic divergence in Pinus caribaea Morelet var. bahamensis progenies Scientia Forestalis Forest Sciences, 2007
Dormancy overcoming in papaya seeds Daí Tokuhisa, Denise Cunha Fernandes dos Santos Dias, Eveline Mantovani Alvarenga, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Sérgio Lúcio David Marin Revista Brasileira De Sementes, 2007
Effect of selective thinning on the genetic parameters estimates in Pinus caribaea Morelet var. hondurensis progenies Scientia Forestalis Forest Sciences, 2007
Germination and vigour of primed Asparagus seeds Mário Lúcio de Carvalho Bittencourt, Denise Cunha Fernandes dos Santos Dias, Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias, Eduardo Fontes Araújo Scientia Agricola, 2005