Breeding without Breeding in Western Larch
Author Information
Author(s): Yousry A. El-Kassaby, Eduardo P. Cappa, Cherdsak Liewlaksaneeyanawin, Jaroslav Klápště, Milan Lstibůrek
Primary Institution: University of British Columbia
Hypothesis
Can DNA fingerprinting and pedigree reconstruction effectively replace complete pedigree information in tree breeding?
Conclusion
The 'Breeding without Breeding' concept allows for efficient breeding by using incomplete pedigree information combined with DNA fingerprinting.
Supporting Evidence
- BwB produced results superior to incomplete designs and similar to complete pedigree methods.
- 1,419 out of 1,538 offspring were assigned to male parents with 95% confidence.
- The average accuracy of predicted breeding values was higher for the combined model than for the incomplete model.
Takeaway
This study shows that we can breed trees without needing to know every parent, just by using some DNA tests on a few offspring.
Methodology
The study used DNA fingerprinting to analyze a sample of wind-pollinated offspring from a population of western larch trees.
Potential Biases
Potential bias due to the reliance on incomplete pedigree information and assumptions about genetic contributions.
Limitations
The study is limited by the number of male parents that could be tested and the assumptions made about genetic relationships.
Participant Demographics
The study involved 15 maternal parents and a total of 41 potential paternal parents in a western larch population.
Statistical Information
P-Value
0.0001
Confidence Interval
CI: 0.672, 0.700
Statistical Significance
p<0.001
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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