An examination of the efficiency of Australian crop variety evaluation programmes

In this paper we present the analysis of yield data from a broad cross-section of crop variety evaluation programmes (CVEP) conducted in Australia. The main sources of variety by environment interaction are ` non-static ' interactions, namely those linked to seasonal influences. These contributed an average of 41.3% of the total variance. In contrast the static component accounts for only 5.3% of the total. We develop methods for determining the relative accuracy of CVEP based on selection of newly promoted entries. The accuracy of the current testing regimes for the Australian CVEP under study is determined. The accuracy of alternative schemes, with different numbers of years of testing, numbers of locations per year and numbers of replicates per trial is also examined. Cost effective methods for improving the accuracy of CVEP are discussed.