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Inbreeding Medicago sativa L. by Sib‐mating I. Cross‐, Sib‐, and Self‐Fertility 1
Author(s) -
Aycock M. K.,
Wilsie C. P.
Publication year - 1967
Publication title -
crop science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.76
H-Index - 147
eISSN - 1435-0653
pISSN - 0011-183X
DOI - 10.2135/cropsci1967.0011183x000700040001x
Subject(s) - inbreeding , biology , fertility , mating , heritability , inbreeding depression , population , genetics , demography , sociology
Sib‐mating without selection was compared with selling as a method of inbreeding alfalfa. Through two generations, the drastic loss in fertility following self‐fertilization was reduced by approximately half through the slower form of inbreeding (sib‐mating). In two populations, (a) a random population of noninbred ‘Vernal’ and (b) a composite S 1 population derived from Vernal, self‐fertility was significantly correlated with sib‐ and cross‐fertility. Heritability estimates indicated that fertility was highly heritable. Inbreeding coefficients were computed for the several levels of inbreeding attained and, in general, the reduction in fertility observed was much greater than that expected in an autotetraploid species. Reasons for the rapid loss in fertility following inbreeding and the possibilities for continuing sib‐mating for several more generations are discussed.