Abstract Although maize is one of the main crops in the Northeast region, yield is still considered low when compared to other regions. One of the main solutions to increasing yield is the selection of cultivars adapted to the conditions of the Northeast region. Thus, the present study aims to use the Bayesian segmented regression model to evaluate the adaptability and stability of maize. The experiment was set up in a randomized block design with two repetitions, where 25 maize hybrids were evaluated in different states. Initially, the analysis of variance was performed. Then, the Bayesian approach of the segmented regression method was used to select the hybrids regarding adaptability and stability. There was a difference between the genotypes indicated using the a priori distribution and those indicated by the minimally informative a priori distribution. Hybrids 20A55HX, 2B433HX, 2B512HX, and P2830H were considered ideal for the Northeast region.

Abstract Bayesian approaches applied in association studies select regions of single-nucleotide polymorphisms, indicating genes with important effects. The Bayesian methods differ in terms of the distribution assumed for the marker effects. Here, we used the window posterior probability of association to detect potential regions. The present study evaluated the efficiency of these methods in identifying regions located close to genes. Data were simulated in six scenarios. Considering the lack of dominance, BayesA was more efficient in the scenario with three QTLs. For scenarios with 10 or 100 QTLs, BayesCπ and BayesDπ were more efficient according to the false positive rate and detection power. Considering the presence of dominance, all methods were similar in the scenario with three QTLs, except in terms of accuracy. BayesDπ was superior in the scenario with 10 QTLs, while BRR was more efficient in the scenario with 100 QTLs.

ABSTRACT Genetic diversity studies are performed based on information on a set of traits measured in a group of genotypes, considering one or more environments. The pattern recognition methods allow classifying genotypes from a set of important agronomic information. Thus, this study aimed to present and compare pattern recognition methods to inquire about the similarity of environments and genotypes in flood-irrigated rice for the recommendation of cultivars. The experim>ents were performed in the municipalities of Leopoldina, Lambari, and Janaúba, state of Minas Gerais, Brazil. To evaluate the pattern of similarity, 25 rice genotypes in three environments belonging to the flood-irrigated rice breeding program were used. Among these genotypes, five cultivars were used as an experimental control for the grain yield, the height of the plant, flowering, panicle length, grains filled by panicles, percentages of grains filled by panicles, in the 2012/2013 agricultural year. The methods us>ed were mixtures of multivariate normal distributions and density-based clustering algorithm. It was observed, therefore, that the genotypes are distributed in three distinct groups, in which there are intragroup homogeneity and intergroup heterogeneity for the agronomic traits of the flooded rice culture. The methods >used to assess the dissimilarity of environments using pattern recognition methods were efficient in classifying flooded rice irrigated environments.

RESUMO: Objetivou-se incorporar informações genômicas de marcadores SNP (“single nucleotide polymorphism”) na avaliação genética das características “stay-green” (SG), arquitetura de planta (AP), aspecto de grãos (AG) e produtividade de grãos (PG) em feijoeiro-comum via modelos Bayesianos. Estes modelos foram comparados quanto a acurácia de predição e habilidade de estimação da herdabilidade para cada característica. Utilizaram-se informações de 80 cultivares genotipadas para 377 marcadores SNP, cujos efeitos de substituição alélica foram estimados por meio de cinco diferentes modelos Bayesianos: Bayes A (BA), B (BB), C (BC), LASSO (BL) e regressão “ridge” (BRR). Embora as acurácias de predição calculadas por meio de análise de validação cruzada tenham sido similares dentro de cada característica, o modelo BB se destacou para a característica SG, enquanto o modelo BRR foi indicado para as demais. As herdabilidades estimadas para SG, AP, AG e PG foram, respectivamente, 0,61, 0,28, 0,32 e 0,29. Em resumo, os métodos contemplados mostraram-se efetivos e de fácil implementação. O conjunto de marcadores utilizado pode auxiliar na seleção precoce de genótipos promissores, uma vez que a incorporação de informações genômicas aumenta a acurácia de predição do mérito genético estimado.

ABSTRACT: We aimed to apply genomic information based on SNP (single nucleotide polymorphism) markers for the genetic evaluation of the traits “stay-green” (SG), plant architecture (PA), grain aspect (GA) and grain yield (GY) in common bean through Bayesian models. These models were compared in terms of prediction accuracy and ability for heritability estimation for each one of the mentioned traits. A total of 80 cultivars were genotyped for 377 SNP markers, whose effects were estimated by five different Bayesian models: Bayes A (BA), B (BB), C (BC), LASSO (BL) e Ridge regression (BRR). Although, prediction accuracies calculated by means of cross-validation have been similar within each trait, the BB model stood out for the trait SG, whereas the BRR was indicated for the remaining traits. The heritability estimates for the traits SG, PA, GA and GY were 0.61, 0.28, 0.32 and 0.29, respectively. In summary, the Bayesian methods applied here were effective and ease to be implemented. The used SNP markers can help in the early selection of promising genotypes, since incorporating genomic information increase the prediction accuracy of the estimated genetic merit.

RESUMO: Objetivou-se estudar a efetividade da redução da dimensão da matriz de covariância do efeito genético direto na avaliação genética do crescimento (pesos dos 100 aos 730 dias de idade) de bovinos Simental, por meio da análise de componentes principais, e estimar componentes de (co)variância e parâmetros genéticos. A análise de componentes principais foi realizada ajsutando-se cinco diferentes modelos: um modelo multicaracterístico padrão, de posto completo, e quatro modelos de posto reduzido. Os modelos foram comparados via informação de Akaike (AIC) e informação Bayesiana de Schwarz (BIC). Os componentes de variância e parâmetros genéticos foram obtidos via REML. Os valores de AIC e BIC para os modelos testados foram similares, indicando a possibilidade da escolha de um modelo mais parcimonioso na avaliação genética da raça Simental. O primeiro componente principal explicou mais de 96% de toda variação genética aditiva direta em ambos os modelos. Os valores de herdabilidades foram maiores em idades mais avançadas e variaram de 0,05 (peso aos 100 dias) a 0,30 (peso aos 730 dias). As estimativas de correlações genéticas foram similares em todos os modelos e apresentaram mesma magnitude e comportamento independentemente do número de componentes principais adotado. Diante dos resultados, pode-se afirmar que apenas o primeiro componente principal foi suficiente para explicar quase que na totalidade a variação genética aditiva direta existente. Além disso, a similaridade dos parâmetros genéticos estimados e a menor demanda computacional são indicativos da possibilidade da utilização de modelos mais parcimoniosos na avaliação genética de bovinos Simental.

ABSTRACT: The aim of this research was to evaluate the dimensional reduction of additive direct genetic covariance matrices in genetic evaluations of growth traits (range 100-730 days) in Simmental cattle using principal components, as well as to estimate (co)variance components and genetic parameters. Principal component analyses were conducted for five different models-one full and four reduced-rank models. Models were compared using Akaike information (AIC) and Bayesian information (BIC) criteria. Variance components and genetic parameters were estimated by restricted maximum likelihood (REML). The AIC and BIC values were similar among models. This indicated that parsimonious models could be used in genetic evaluations in Simmental cattle. The first principal component explained more than 96% of total variance in both models. Heritability estimates were higher for advanced ages and varied from 0.05 (100 days) to 0.30 (730 days). Genetic correlation estimates were similar in both models regardless of magnitude and number of principal components. The first principal component was sufficient to explain almost all genetic variance. Furthermore, genetic parameter similarities and lower computational requirements allowed for parsimonious models in genetic evaluations of growth traits in Simmental cattle.

Resumo Nosso objetivo foi investigar a interação genótipos por ambiente (GxA) em cultivares de feijão do grupo carioca recomendadas por diferentes instituições de pesquisa do Brasil nos últimos 40 anos. Os experimentos foram realizados considerando 40 cultivares em quatro ambientes (Coimbra e Viçosa nas safras da seca e de inverno de 2013), usando um delineamento em blocos casualizados com três repetições. Os resultados mostraram o incremente efetivo na produtividade de grãos proporcionado pela recomendação de novas cultivares pelos programas de melhoramento de feijão do Brasil nas últimas quatro décadas. Além disso, a análise da GxA indicou que as cultivares recomendadas após o ano de 2005 foram as que apresentaram conjuntamente altas produtividades de grãos, ampla adaptabilidade e alta previsibilidade.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to analyze the effect of genotype-environment interaction (GE) on common bean cultivars with carioca grain (cream-colored beans with light brown stripes), recommended for cultivation by different Brazilian research institutions in the last 40 years. The experiments were carried out with 40 cultivars in four different environments (Coimbra and Viçosa, in the dry and winter seasons of 2013) using a randomized block design with three replications. The results showed an effective increase in grain yield resulting from the use of new cultivars from different Brazilian breeding programs in the past four decades. In addition, the analysis of the GE interaction indicated that the cultivars recommended after 2005 combined high mean grain yield, wide adaptability and high or stability.