Best Linear Unbiased Prediction of Breeding Values for Tomato Spotted Wilt Virus (TSWV) Incidence in Virginia-type Peanuts

Abstract Spotted wilt of peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), caused by the tomato spotted wilt virus (TSWV), has progressively become more prevalent in the Virginia-Carolina production area. Management tactics for control of spotted wilt are limited. Development of cultivars with moderate to high levels of field resistance to TSWV is the most promising means of managing the disease. Breeding efficiency can be maximized by choosing parents based on their potential to produce superior progeny. Best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) is a method for estimating the breeding value of a parent based on its own performance as well as that of its relatives. The objective of this study was to investigate the use of BLUP to identify lines with superior ability to transmit decreased TSWV field incidence to their progeny. The data set used included 118 breeding lines, 12 cultivars and one hirsuta-type (A. hypogaea subsp. hypogaea var. hirsuta Kohler) accession. Data on TSWV incidence were obtained from trials representing t...