EVALUATION OF ELITES RICE LINES OF VENEZUELA BREEDING COMPANIES, INIA AND APROSCELLO, PORTUGUESA, 2016 – 2017 SEASON

Abstract

It is common for rice breeding programs to have several elite lines at a given time, which generates the need to identify those with the greatest potential to enroll them in the Agronomic Validation Trials (EVAC). This implies the possibility of establishing agreements between teams of breeders from different companies to jointly evaluate their elite lines in special environments, where the occurrence of biotic and/or abiotic stresses prevails. This study was to aim to evaluate the agronomic potential of a group of elite rice lines developed by the National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA) and the Association of Certified Seed Producers of the Western Plains (APROSCELLO), in alliance with the producing sector organized, represented by the National Rice Foundation (FUNDARROZ). The evaluations were carried out in the APROSCELLO experimental field, located in Payara, Páez municipality, Portuguesa, Venezuela, during the 2016-2017 dry season, using four elite rice lines obtained by INIA and three belonging to the APROSCELLO program, plus 5 commercial varieties as checks. To determine the agronomic potential, six agronomic traits of greater importance in the crop were used. Three materials from the INIA – FUNDARROZ rice breeding program (PN14I117, PN14V096 and PN14I122,) and three from the APROSCELLO – FUNDARROZ program (AP14B079, AP14B073 and AP14B085) showed similar productive potential to the checks, being able to be qualified to register them in the EVAC trials. All the elite lines that showed productive potential similar to the checks, also presented adequate agronomic characteristics that satisfy the demands of the rice seed market in Venezuela.