Comparison of lattice designs, check plots, and moving means in wheat breeding trials

Summary

Efficiencies of lattice designs, check plot designs, and moving means were compared in seven environments for control of error in wheat breeding trials. Lattice analyses of lattice designs and check plot covariance analyses of check plot designs gave similar CV's and intra-site heritabilities and were superior to direct RCBD analyses of these designs. Moving mean covariance analyses were generally only slightly less efficient than lattice analyses or check plot covariance analyses. Differences between designs and methods of analysis, which were evident on an intra-site basis, were not evident from combined analyses indicating that genotype x environment interaction is much more important than intra-site error in limiting progress from selection. Moving mean covariance analyses with 2 replicates per location and as many locations as feasible is suggested as a useful strategy for early generation wheat breeding trials.