Davis Population Of Gerbera Research Articles

Quantitative analysis of correlations among flower traits in Gerbera hybrida, Compositae. III. Genetic variability and structure of principal component traits

A sample of 36 flower traits consisting of six morphological categories in the Davis population of gerbera was restructured into phenotypic and genetic principal component traits. The first 5 phenotypic principal component traits accounted for 62% of the total phenotypic variance of the 36 traits and have moderate to high heritablities. The first 5 genetic principal component traits account for 97% of total genetic variance and all have high heritability. Morphological structure of these component traits suggest an underlying process identified by the first genetic principal component involving largely trans and disk floret traits. The results of this study indicate that the quantitative genetic structure of the gerbera flower is controlled by a few independent components and that principal component analysis is a useful tool to reveal variation in this structure. These composite traits are heritable and are expected to respond to selection.

Estimation of long-term genetic improvement for gerbera using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) procedure

Long-term genetic improvement is measured by the selection response predicted from estimates of narrow-sense heritability. Accurate estimates of selection response require partitioning the change of population mean into genetic and environmental components. A selection experiment for cut-flower yield was conducted for 16 generations in the Davis population of gerbera (Gerbera hybrida, Compositae). Breeding values were estimated for individual plants in the population using the best linear unbiased prediction (BLUP) procedure. Genetic change in each generation was calculated from the breeding values of individual plants. The results of this study indicate that long-term selection was successful and necessary for the genetic improvement in cut-flower yield. Genetic improvement in mean breeding value over 16 generations was 33 flowers. Mean breeding values increased monotonically with an S-shape pattern while environmental effects fluctuated from generation to generation. Results predict that cut-flower yield in the Davis population of gerbera will continue to respond to selection.

Interpretation of a selection plateau through complex segregation analysis: Euclidean distance index selection for flower colour in the Davis population of Gerbera

Interpretation of a selection plateau through complex segregation analysis: Euclidean distance index selection for flower colour in the Davis population of Gerbera

COMPLEX SEGREGATION ANALYSIS (CSA) OF GERBERA FLOWER COLOR

The frequency distribution of gerbera flower hue in the Davis population of gerbera appears continuous and bimodal. This suggests that a gene of large effect may be segregating in a background of polygenic variation. CSA is a statistical technique developed in genetic epidemiology for investigating such complex traits without the need of inbred lines. The REGC program of SAGE (Elston, LSU Medical Center, New Orleans) uses the regressive models of G. Bonney (1984) through pedigree analysis to provide estimates of major gene parameters and residual correlations among relatives. Pedigrees obtained from generations 14, 15, and 16 indicate that a major dominant gene for hue is segregating and accounting for -0.66 of the total variation. The genotypic means are 32 degrees and 71 degrees for the aa and bb genotypes, respectively. The a allele is dominant to the b allele and has a frequency of 0.55. The residual parent-offspring correlation estimate is 0.2 and measures the genetic contribution to the remainder of the variance.

049 LONG-TERM GENETIC IMPROVEMENT OF CUT-FLOWER YIELD IN GERBERA

The effects of long-term genetic improvement are measured by selection response predicted from estimates of narrow-sense heritability. However, changes of population mean must be partitioned into genetic and environmental components-in order to accurately estimate selection response. A long-term selection experiment for cut-flower yield in the Davis population of gerbera (Gerbera hybrida, Compositae) was conducted for sixteen generations. Breeding value was estimated for individual plants in the population using Best Linear Unbiased Prediction (BLUP). Genetic change was calculated from breeding values of individual plants in each generation. The results of this study indicate: the long-term selection experiment was successful and necessary for genetic improvement. Genetic change over sixteen generations was 33 flowers. Mean breeding values increased monotonously with an “S” shape pattern. Environmental effects fluctuated from generation to generation. Cut-flower yield in the Davis population of gerbera will continuously respond to selection.

050 Complex Segregation Analysis (CSA) of Gerbera Flower Color

The frequency distribution of gerbera flower hue in the Davis Population of Gerbera appears continuous and bimodal. This suggests that a gene of large effect may be segregating in a background of polygenic variation. CSA is a statistical technique developed in genetic epidemiology for investigating such complex traits, without the need of inbred lines. The REGC program of SAGE (Elston, LSU Med. Center, New Orleans) utilizes the regressive models of G. Bonney (1984) through pedigree analysis to provide estimates of major gene parameters and residual correlations among relatives. Pedigrees obtained from generations 14, 15, and 16 indicate that a major dominant gene for hue is segregating and accounting for ∼ 0.66 of the total variation. The genotypic means are 32 degrees and 71 degrees for the aa and bb genotypes, respectively. The `a' allele is dominant to the `b' allele and has a frequency of 0.55. The residual parent-offspring correlation estimate is 0.2, and measures the genetic contribution to the remainder of the variance.

Quantitative genetic analysis of flowering time in the Davis Population of gerbera

Phenotypic and genetic correlations of flowering time (FT) with cut-flower yield (Y) were estimated from six generations of the Davis Population of gerbera (Gerbera hybrida, Compositae). The phenotypic correlation was −0.34; the genetic correlation was −0.47 when estimated from ANOVA of a NCII design and −0.72 when estimated from parent-offspring analysis. An indirect selection model was constructed to assess the efficiency of indirect selection for Y using FT as a marker. This model includes population size and generation time as variables because they differ for FT and Y. The results indicate that indirect selection will be more efficient than direct selection. Correlations of FT with flower quality traits, including scape length (SL), flower diameter (FD), scape dry weight (SDW) and flower dry weight (FDW), were also estimated. FT was phenotypically independent of these traits. However, statistically significant estimates of genetic correlation indicate that FT may be correlated with flower quality traits. Thus, indirect selection on FT to increase Y may result in undesirable correlated responses for flower quality.

Quantitative genetic analysis of flowering time in the Davis Population of gerbera. I. Components of genetic variance and heritability

Genetic components of variance and heritability of flowering time (FT) were estimated for 5 generations of the Davis Population of gerbera using the NCII design. Estimates of narrow-sense heritability averaged 0.50; those of broad-sense heritability, 0.77. Narrow-sense heritability was also estimated with two models of parent-offspring regression, resulting in average heritability of 0.49 and 0.51. Estimates of the components of variance indicated that the major genetic effect controlling FT is additive. However, the dominance component accounted for 28% of the total variance; the environmental component was only 23%. FT was not selected over the six generations in this study. A predictive model suggests that FT can be reduced by selection in this population.

INHERITANCE OF FLOWERING TIME AND ITS APPLICATION FOR INDIRECT SELECTION IN THE DAVIS POPULATION OF GERBERA

Genetic components of variance and heritability of flowering time were estimated for five generations of the Davis Populationof Gerbera hybrids, Composite, Estimates of narrow-sense heritability averaged 0.50 and broad-sense heritability averaged 0.77 using the NCII design. Narrow-sense heritability was also estimated with two models of parent-offspring regression, resulting in average heritability of 0.49 and 0.51. Estimates of components of variance indicated that the major genetic effect controlling flowering time is additive. However, the dominance component accounted for 28% of the total variance; the environmental component was only 23%. Flowering time is negatively correlated with cut-flower yield. The phenotypic coefficient was –0.34; genetic correlations were –0.47 when estimated from the NCII design, and –0.72 when estimated from the parent-off-spring method. A practical model was constructed to assess the efficiency of indirect selection for cut-flower yield using flowering time as a marker trait. The advantages of indirect selection accruing from increased population size and reduced generation time are discussed.

Quantitative analysis of correlations among flower traits in Gerbera hybrida Compositae

Phenotypic (r p ), genetic (r g ), and environmental, (r e ) correlations were estimated for 38 flower traits in the Davis population of gerbera (Gerbera hybrida, Compositae). Fifty-two percent of r p and 38% of r g were statistically significant at P < 0.05. Significant negative r p were infrequent, but significant negative r g occurred in 10% of cases. There was a negative correlation between estimates of r g and r e , resulting in cases where r g was significant, but r p was not. Individual traits varied in their tendency to correlate phenotypically or genetically, and positively or negatively, with other traits. Traits within the same morphological category, such as disk florets or transitional florets, were more highly intercorrelated than were traits from different categories.

Genotype × Environment Interaction Bias in Heritability Estimates for Cut-flower Yield of Greenhouse Gerberas

Abstract Statistics were developed to measure the relative importance of genotype × environmental (GE) interactions. Estimates indicate that as much as half of the genetic variance for cut-flower yield in the Davis Population of Gerbera may be attributable to GE interactions. The bias this causes in broad-sense heritability estimates averaged 10.3% ± 2.97% for single-factor interactions; 15.6% ± 3.52% for 2-factor interactions, and 26.8% ± 3.45% for 3-factor interactions. The mean unadjusted broad-sense heritability for cut-flower yield in the same experiments was 37.1% ± 6.54%. Therefore, response equations that do not take interaction bias into account will overestimate selection potential.

Components of genetic variation for cut-flower yield in the Davis Population of Gerbera

Genetic variances for cut-flower yield in Gerbera hybrida were partitioned into additive and dominance components. Mean additive variance was 37.3 with a standard error of 12.9. Mean dominance variance was 12.7 with a standard error of 32.6. The dominance ratio was 0.34. Narrow sense heritability, estimated from these components of variance, averaged 0.42 with a standard error of 0.13. Heritabilities estimated from parent-offspring regression averaged 0.25. Gain from selection was less then expected; realized heritabilities were approximately 0.20.