Summary
Models for estimating the level of apomixis in plant species which employ a flexible reproductive pathway are presented. These models depend on segregation data of marker genes within progeny arrays. The estimators of mating system parameters and their variance are derived for various breeding systems using either dominant or co-dominant diallelic loci.
For dominant marker loci, the progeny of recessive homozygotes generally contain the most information about the level of apomixis (c). Additional data on hererozygous families are required in order to estimate the gene frequency in the pollen pool (p) or the fraction of ovules self-pollinated (s). In species capable of self-fertilisation, such data are needed to discriminate between the selfing and apomictic components and thus avoid overestimates of apomixis.
At co-dominant marker loci, the progeny of heterozygous mothers contribute more information about c than those of the more frequent homozygote. They can also estimate apomixis without any need for an estimate of the pollen gene frequency. All three parameters (c, s and p) are estimable when progeny data are available from all three kinds of maternal parents.
A multigenic model depending simply on genotypic comparisons is also discussed.
These progeny testing methods are much more applicable to populations where the level of apomixis is high than to detecting rare apomictic events. The latter are detected more efficiently by cytological procedures. The merits and demerits of estimating apomixis by progeny tests are discussed.
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Marshall, D., Brown, A. Estimation of the level of apomixis in plant populations. Heredity 32, 321–333 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1974.41
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/hdy.1974.41
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