Enhancing genetic gain through the application of genomic selection in developing irrigated rice for the favorable ecosystem in Bangladesh

Increasing selection differential and decreasing cycle time, the rate of genetic improvement can be accelerated. Creating and capturing higher genetic with higher accuracy within the shortest possible time is the prerequisite for enhancing genetic gain for any trait. Comprehensive yield testing at multi-locations at early generations together with the shortest line fixation time can expedite the rapid recycling of parents in the breeding program through recurrent selection. Genomic selection is efficient in capturing high breeding value individuals taking additive genetic effects of all genes into account with and without extensive field testing, thus reducing breeding cycle time enhances genetic gain. In the Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, GS technology together with the trait-specific marker-assisted selection at the early generation of RGA-derived breeding lines showed a prediction accuracy of 0.454-0.701 with 0.989-2.623 relative efficiency over the four consecutive years of exercise. This study reports that the application of GS together with trait-specific MAS has expedited the yield improvement by 117 kg ha-1middotyear-1, which is around seven-fold larger than the baseline annual genetic gain and shortened the breeding cycle by around 1.5 years from the existing 4.5 years.

Automated summary

Increasing selection differential and decreasing cycle time can accelerate the rate of genetic improvement. Creating and capturing higher genetic with higher accuracy within the shortest possible time is crucial for enhancing genetic gain. Comprehensive yield testing at multi-locations at early generations together with shorter line fixation time can expedite the rapid recycling of parents in the breeding program through recurrent selection. Genomic selection is efficient in capturing high breeding value individuals, considering additive genetic effects of all genes, and reducing breeding cycle time, thereby enhancing genetic gain.