Comparison among strains of tobacco cultivar Hicks illustrating variability within a single cultivar

Abstract

Random effect models were used to compare seven strains of Hicks tobacco at two sites for 3 years in north Queensland. Broadleaf Hicks (U.S.A.) was found to be commercially and significantly superior to the local strain. There were no differences in quality, but the saleable yield of the introduction was 129% of that of the Queensland strain, and the former was not inferior in any other important characteristic. The new strain has been renamed "Hicks Q46" for local use. Commercial and statistical significances of the results were contrasted. The most divergent strains were identified, Coley Special being the strain most different from the average Hicks phenotype in the test environments.