In a breeding program, it is important to find out information about the genes action, because knowledge in this field could help the researchers in their crossing programs and realizing effective selection. In this study, breeding values of different agronomic traits in oriental tobacco were predicted using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) procedure. For this purpose, 89 tobacco genotypes were evaluated in a randomized complete block design with three replications under normal (without broomrape) and stress (with broomrape) conditions at Urmia Tobacco Research Centre, during two successive years. Broomrape stress was applied by mixing 0.06 gr broomrape seed with soil in pots. C.H.T.209.12e × F.K.40-1 genotype had high yield under both normal and broomrape stress conditions and was one of the desirable genotypes in terms of yield tolerance and stability index. The Rustica genotype was the best genotype in terms of the breeding value of most of studied traits in both normal and broomrape stress conditions. The result from cluster analysis based on the breeding values of the studied traits showed that, tobacco genotypes were divided into 6 and 5 groups in normal and broomrape stress conditions, respectively; but the distribution of genotypes within the groups was different depending on the conditions. The highest heritability was observed for root fresh weight under normal condition and for leaf fresh weight under broomrape stress conditionss. The results showed that a genotype with good phenotypic performance may have low breeding value. Therefore, considering breeding value information along with phenotypic mean of traits can increase the efficiency of breeding programs.

Protection of food security is one of the basic priorities of any country, which is achieved through the development and introduction of new, high-yielding and stress-resistant crop varieties. Considering the wide range of usage; human nutrition, livestock and poultry nutrition as well as use in industrial products production, maize is of special importance in agricultural development programs. To improve a trait with complex behavior and low heritability, indirect selection by other traits or a suitable index developed based on several traits can be used. In this research, 86 maize genotypes were cultivated in the form of randomized complete block design with three replications in the field in the Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University under two normal and salt stress conditions. The measurement of the traits was done from the tassel appearance to kernel physiological maturity. In order to speed up genotype selection and increase the acuracy of selecting high yielding genotypes, four selection indices including Smith- Hazel, Pasek- Baker, Brim and Robinson were used and calculated. The results of present study revealed that selection based on the Smith- Hazel index with the highest selection efficiency (∆H) will increase the grain yield in normal and grain yield and plant height in salt stress conditions. This index, with its high correlation with the breeding value is introduced as a superior index. Based on this index, R59 and 6*/88 genotypes were introduced as the superior genotypes under normal and salt stress conditions, respectively. Nonetheless, these genotypes were recognized as the best genotypes considering the results of all other investigated indices. Identifying and introducing genotypes tolerant to salinity stress is of particular importance due to the expansion of saline lands and the limitation of access to water suitable for irrigation. Based on the above results, 6*/88 genotype is recommended for the development of promising hybrids for cultivation in areas with water or saline soil.