Evaluation of the breeding and genetic potential of strawberry varieties and hybrids based on economically valuable traits

¹ Federal State Budget Scientific Institution “North Caucasian Federal Scientific Center of Horticulture, Viticulture, Wine-making”, 40 Let Pobedy Str., 39, 350901 Krasnodar, Russia
² Federal State Budgetary Educational Institution of Higher Education “Kuban State University”, Stavropolskaya Str., 149, 350040 Krasnodar, Russia

^* Corresponding author: lavai@list.ru

Abstract

The study of the inherited features of the genotype and the directions of variability of breeding-valuable traits of strawberry varieties and hybrid forms is an integral part of most researches in the field of this crop breeding. The purpose of this work was to determine the most promising strawberry varieties and hybrid selections by a complex of economically significant characteristics based on the assessment of their selection and genetic potential. In the period 2018–2020, 7 varieties and 17 inter-variety hybrids of strawberry were studied. Using methods of multivariate mathematical statistics, including calculation of factor contributions, estimation of principal components, and cluster analysis of the hierarchical algorithm using the Ward method, the variability of strawberry genotypes in terms of crop structure and quality was estimated. It is shown that variety genotype makes a decisive contribution to the variability of the studied forms. The model of the ideal variety was used as a comparative criterion for promising varieties and hybrid selections. As a result of clustering and combining the studied forms in the intervals of Euclidean distances, a high assessment was made for the selection and genetic potential of strawberry varieties Onda, Belrubi, Florence and Nelli, as well as hybrid forms with their participation.