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Selection on multiple QTL with control of gene diversity and inbreeding for long‐term benefit
Author(s) -
Li Y.,
Kadarmideen H. N.,
Dekkers J. C. M.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of animal breeding and genetics
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.689
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1439-0388
pISSN - 0931-2668
DOI - 10.1111/j.1439-0388.2007.00717.x
Subject(s) - inbreeding , quantitative trait locus , selection (genetic algorithm) , biology , truncation selection , population , genetic diversity , trait , genetics , evolutionary biology , statistics , gene , mathematics , computer science , demography , artificial intelligence , sociology , programming language
Summary The purpose of this study was to develop and investigate selection strategies that aim at maximizing long‐term genetic response while conserving gene diversity and controlling inbreeding in populations of limited effective size, assuming complete knowledge of all genes affecting a quantitative trait. Three selection strategies were proposed to select on 100 quantitative trait loci (QTL) and compared with truncation selection on breeding value. Alternative selection strategies aimed at maximizing the average breeding value of parents with a penalty on (1) the number of unfavourable QTL genotypes among parents (OS‐I), (2) the negative of the logarithm of the frequency of the favourable allele at each QTL among parents (OS‐II), and (3) the average pedigree relationship among parents (OS‐III). When all QTL and their effects were known, the strategies examined were able to obtain extra long‐term responses, conserve QTL diversity and reduce inbreeding, compared with truncation selection. Strategy OS‐II was the most effective in conserving QTL diversity and OS‐III in reducing inbreeding. By changing the magnitude of the penalties applied, the impact on long‐term response, inbreeding and diversity can be controlled. Extra long‐term responses over truncation selection of OS‐I and OS‐II were even greater when effects of QTL were estimated rather than assumed known, indicating the applicability of results to practical strategies for marker‐assisted selection. Extra responses are expected to be reduced for larger population sizes.