Marker-based adjustment of the additive relationship matrix for estimation of genetic parameters—an example using Eucalyptus cladocalyx

Abstract

The effects of adjusting additive (numerator) relationship matrices (A) for inbreeding estimates taken from molecular markers were investigated using a small, model population of Eucalyptus cladocalyx. A number of individual-tree, mixed-models were compared, incorporating estimates of population- and family-level selfing and ancestral inbreeding applied either as average values to the entire population or as variable estimates for subpopulation and family groups. The consequences of ignoring inbreeding were inflated additive genetic variance estimates and underestimation of residual variance, with resulting inflation of heritability. We found models that correct for differential inbreeding at the subpopulation level give similar results to more complex ones including family-level estimates. Our analysis indicates that the commonly applied coefficient of relationship for first-generation eucalypt progeny of ρ = 1/2.5 appears to be quite suitable for correcting variance component and heritability estimates. However, if inbreeding is not specifically corrected for by adjustment of A, some minor rank changes of individual breeding values can occur, especially where levels of inbreeding vary among families, and some suboptimal selections and loss of genetic gain may ensue.