Phenotypic recurrent selection in artichoke breeding

The phenotypic recurrent selection aims to increase the favourable allelic frequency during successive selection cycles, which may result in an open-pollinated cultivar. Therefore, the purpose of this work was to obtain an artichoke population improved for traits related with head quality as well as to estimate the genetic gains for quantitative traits after selection. From a base population with 147 plants (C0), 12 were selected for desirable characteristics for in natura consumption and intercrossed to form the C-1 population, consisting of 180 plants. Eleven of them were selected and intercrossed to originate the C-2 (324 individuals). From C-2, 11 individuals were selected and recombined performing the C-3 population. Three of these populations (C-0, C-1 and C-2) were evaluated regarding 12 quantitative and three qualitative traits. Quantitative data were subjected to an analysis of variance (ANOVA) and mean values were compared by Tukey's test (p < 0.05). Genetic gain was estimated for each cycle. For qualitative data the plants frequency for each trait was evaluated in each cycle. There was a total increase of 25.42% in the frequency of violet head, in the C-1, 87% of plants presenting heads with traces of violet colour. The total increase in the frequency of circular heads was 34.7%, whereas the absence of thorns increase was 43.2%. Significant variations among cycles for most of the quantitative traits were observed. Phenotypic recurrent selection results in an improved artichoke population for heads quality and some quantitative traits.