We evaluated for agronomic performance and grain
quality under organic and conventional agriculture ten
open-pollinated populations, potentially valuable for
maize bread or bakery use (Table 1). Five of these
open-pollinated populations (Donostia, Meiro, Rebordanes,
Sarreaus, and Tuy) have been improved for
grain yield or flour yield during one or three cycles.
The breeding program for Donostia was carried out in
the experimental field of NEIKER (A´ lava) and
consisted on evaluating 100 S1 families and recombining
the 20 S1 families with the higher ability for
making ‘‘talo’’, a kind of maize bread. One cycle of
selection was carried out. The breeding program for
Meiro, Rebordanes and Sarreaus was carried out in the
experimental field of Misio´n Biolo´gica de Galicia
(Pontevedra) and consisted on recombining the 20 S1
families with highest flour yield and quality for maize
bread from 100 S1 families. Flour yield was obtained
by multiplying yield by proportion of flour produced
after grinding 50 g of whole grain in a coffee mill for
1 min, and sieving for 1 min in a sieve with 1 mm
orifices (Table 2). Quality for maize bread was
assessed by a panel that evaluated maize breads made
from the S1 families with flour yield above average.
Bread was made following a traditional recipe (Revilla
et al. 2008). Two cycles of selection were carried out
for those three populations. Finally, the breeding
program for Tuy was carried out in a similar way, but
in this case the selection criterion was grain yield.
Three cycles of selection were carried out for this
population.