Mansour Elsayed, Elsayed. (2013) . Analysis of the efficiency in the Spanish National Barley Breeding Program. Past results and prospects for future improvements using molecular markers. Universitat de Lleida. L.293-2013 ; http://hdl.handle.net/10803/111291.

The objectives of this thesis were to test the efficiency of selection in the Spanish Barley Breeding Program and to find out the most important genetic factors responsible for the advantage of elite material, to facilitate future selection. A retrospective analysis of the advanced generation trials of the breeding program indicated that genetic progress and wide adaptation were achieved. However, patterns of genotype ny environment interaction were found, related to the interaction of winter temperatures with vernalization requirements of the genotypes. A QTL analysis with a RIL population found several regions relevant for different agronomic traits and confirmed that the main vernalization gene in barley,VrnH1, was the main factor responsible for optimum adaptation and production of barley across a range of typically Mediterranean environments. A study of selection QTLs in the advanced lines of the program confirmed the large influence of vernalization and frost tolerance in the breeding process.