New background traits for identification of high-yielding soybean genotypes at early stages of breeding

In order to increase the efficiency of samples selection in segregating generations of hybrid populations of soybean two new background traits are suggested: “the weight of a piece of the lower part of a main stem” 7-10 cm long and “the diameter of a main stem” measured in the middle of the first internode or in the area of the first nodus. The calculated factors of correlation between the indicators of new background traits and the indicator of the known background trait (the mass of non-seed overground part of a plant) proved to be high, exceeding essentially the critical value by 0.1% level of significance. The essential changes are offered for the plant selection technique in segregating generations of hybrid populations of soybean consisting in the replacement of whole plant selection by the collecting beans from it. Plant estimation according to the background traits is achieved by means of taking a piece of the lower part of a main stem and measuring its weight or diameter.