Genetic Diversity and Stability of Performance of Wheat Population Varieties Developed by Participatory Breeding

Gaëlle van Frank, Pierre Rivière, Sophie Pin, Raphaël Baltassat, Jean-François Berthellot, François Caizergues, Christian Dalmasso, Jean-Sébastien Gascuel, Alexandre Hyacinthe, Florent Mercier, Hélène Montaz, Bernard Ronot and Isabelle Goldringer
Additional contact information
Gaëlle van Frank: GQE– Le Moulon, INRAE, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Pierre Rivière: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Sophie Pin: GQE– Le Moulon, INRAE, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France
Raphaël Baltassat: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Jean-François Berthellot: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
François Caizergues: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Christian Dalmasso: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Jean-Sébastien Gascuel: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Alexandre Hyacinthe: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Florent Mercier: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Hélène Montaz: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Bernard Ronot: Réseau Semences Paysannes, 47190 Aiguillon, France
Isabelle Goldringer: GQE– Le Moulon, INRAE, Univ. Paris-Sud, CNRS, AgroParisTech, Université Paris-Saclay, 91190 Gif-sur-Yvette, France

Sustainability, 2020, vol. 12, issue 1, 1-21

Abstract: Modern agricultural systems rely on reduced crop genetic diversity, due in particular to the use of homogeneous elite varieties grown in large areas. However, genetic diversity within fields is a lever for a more sustainable production, allowing greater stability and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses. In France, a Participatory Plant Breeding (PPB) project on bread wheat, involving farmers, facilitators and researchers, has led to the development of heterogeneous populations whose within-variety genetic diversity is expected to confer the ability to adapt to farmers’ practices and environments. We studied the stability and local adaptation of ten of these farmers’ populations as well as two commercial varieties in relation to their within-variety genetic diversity. Although no clear evidence of local adaptation was detected, we found that populations’ grain yield and protein content were more stable over space and time respectively than those of commercial varieties. Moreover, the varieties’ stability over time in terms of protein content was positively correlated with within-variety genetic diversity with no significant drawback on protein yield. These results demonstrate the wide adaptive potential of PPB populations, highlighting the importance of seed exchange networks for agrobiodiversity management and use. They emphasize the benefits of genetic diversity for stability over time, which is of great interest to farmers.

Keywords: agrobiodiversity; agroecology; decentralized selection; dynamic management; farmers varieties; local adaptation; participatory plant breeding; reciprocal transplant; temporal stability (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (3)

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