Molecular markers have been suggested as useful tools in breeding programmes. The purpose of this work was to propose and apply an index for inbred line selection to be used for generating synthetic maize populations. It is based on field data and the RFLP genotypes of seed parents. Index usefulness was examined, considering its efficiency for generating synthetics with high QTL frequencies, in contrast with line selection based solely on topcross performance. Seed parents were genotyped for 157 RFLP marker loci with an average distance between loci of 15.30 cM. Sixty-eight S2 lines, stemming from an F2 population derived from a cross between two homozygous inbred lines, were topcrossed and evaluated in four locations in Iowa, USA, in 1996. From these 157 loci, 18 were identified as significantly associated with yield QTLs explaining 74.70 % of the genetic variance among topcross progenies. The proposed index included measures which are function of the per se line behaviour and the genetic complementarity between lines, and led to a diallel table homologue for all parental lines. These properties cannot be accomplished using only the topcross selection criterion. The index led to synthetic populations which are expected to be superior to the best synthetic population selected by topcross performance alone. However, this superiority is valid only for QTL regions covered by the markers used. This procedure allowed a useful monitoring of the genetic constitution of all possible synthetic populations.
Zea mays; RFLP marker; inbred lines; selection index; synthetic populations
