Abstract
A method of estimating the number of loci contributing to quantitative variation has been proposed by S. Wright in 1921. The method makes use of the means of inbred lines and the variances of their F(1), F(2) and backcrosses. The method has been extended to crosses between outbreeding populations by R. Lande in 1981. Additive gene action is one of the major assumptions required for obtaining valid estimates. It is shown here that this assumption may be relaxed. One can estimate both a total number of effective loci and a number of dominant loci (the latter only when the parents are inbred) by comparing the variances of the F(1), F(2) and backcrosses. Numerical illustrations are given, based on crossbreeding data.
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Selected References
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