Efficiency of Two Breeding Methods on Flax Population

The experiment was carried out at the Etay El-Baroud Experiment Station, El-Beheira Governorate, Egypt during the three successive seasons of 2014-2015, 2015-2016 and 2016-2017. The present study aimed at measuring the efficiency of two methods of selection used in the flax breeding program namely; pedigree method (PM) and bulk method (BM) on one flax population droved from previous work by the other (self) in 2014. F₂ seed from the previous work furnished the source material for subsequent generations of flax populations (S2465/1 × Giza 8). In 2017 season, the high yielding selected lines (20) from each methods of breeding (two methods i.e. pedigree and bulk). Comparison between two breeding methods, mean square due to breeding methods were significant for days to flowering , No. of capsules / plant , length of fruiting zone , No. of seeds / capsule , seed index , seed yield /plant , technical stem length , and oil percentage. This result indicated the difference between breading methods. The pedigree methods gave the highest value for all traits. The pedigree method proved to be more efficient than bulk method for selection based on these traits may be due to the two parent good combiner for most traits. Also, gave the earliness of days to flowering. These result in this cross where a two parent were good combiner for most trait. For days to flowering, the result indicated that the pedigree method produced more superior lines than bulk method compared the best parent with fifteen and sixteen lines respectably. The best line was No. 7 of pedigree method. As for No. of capsule/ plant , 20 and 9 lines showed significant higher than best parent for pedigree and bulk method gave the highest number of capsules/ plant . Regarding to No. of basal branches/plant, the pedigree method produced consistently none superior parent compared the best parent, with three and four lines for pedigree and bulk, respectively. For No. of seeds / capsules, only the line No. 14 of pedigree method of breeding gave the highest no. of seeds / capsule. Concerning seed index, all lines of pedigree and bulk methods surpassed the best parent. Also, the line No. 9 of pedigree method gave the behavior seed index. With regard to seed yield/plant, four and six lines surpassed significant seed. Yield compare the best parent. The best line was No. 19 of pedigree followed by No. 2 of bulk method of breeding.  For total length, sixteen lines of both breeding methods surpassed significant compare the best parent. The best line was No. 1 of pedigree method (123, 67). Regarding technical stem length, fourteen and nine lines showed significant higher than the best parent for pedigree and bulk methods, respectively the best line was No. 6 (112. 67 ) followed by No. 5 ( 111 . 33 ) of pedigree method . For fiber percentage, none of lines showed significant compare the best parent or over mean.