OBJECTIVETo select superior mating combinations from different F1 generations of Dendrobium officinale.

METHODTwenty-six superior parents from four provenances were selected to make up 26 mating combinations. The agronomic traits of different F1 generation were measured, counted, and analyzed by DPS software.

RESULTThere were significant differences between different mating combinations among F1 generations. The variation among full-sib families was significantly higher than that among half-sib families, while the variation inside full-sib families was significantly lower than that inside half-sib families. Twelve agronomic traits were simplified into four principal components, of which the accumulative contribution rate was 84.127 3%. Twenty-six mating combinations have been divided into six groups, plants from the fifth and sixth group grew much better than the others.

CONCLUSIONThe selection of parents should be emphasized by using hybrid vigor. There were higher genetic gains and superior uniformity inside families when selection and breeding occurs in full-sib families than in half-sib families. Eight superior full-sib families (83 x 34, 66 x 9, 68 x 2, 91 x 69, 66 x 65, 69 x 91, 17 x 66, 66 x 17) have been selected which showed a good agronomic traits of seedlings.