Joe is breeding rutabagas in his dorm room. He finds that the average root weigh

Question

Joe is breeding rutabagas in his dorm room. He finds that the average root weight in his population of rutabagas is 80 g. He chooses six rutabagas that have the largest roots; the average root weight among these selected rutabagas is 140 g. Joe interbreeds these rutabagas. From earlier studies, he knows that the narrow-sense heritability for root weight in his population of rutabagas is 0.5. What should be the average root weight of the progeny of the selected rutabagas?

Joe is breeding rutabagas in his dorm room. He finds that the average root weight in his population of rutabagas is 80 g. He chooses six rutabagas that have the largest roots; the average root weight among these selected rutabagas is 140 g. Joe interbreeds these rutabagas. From earlier studies, he knows that the narrow-sense heritability for root weight in his population of rutabagas is 0.5. What should be the average root weight of the progeny of the selected rutabagas?

Explanation / Answer

We know narrow sense heritability. We can calculate offspring root weight using narrow sense heritability formula.

Narrow sense heritability (h2) = Selection response/selection differential

Narrow sense heritability (h2) = 0.5

Selection differential = average of parents selected - average of parental population = 140-80 =60

Selection response = average of offsprings - average of parental population

We do not know the average weight roots of offsprings. Let us assume it to be x.

So, selection response = x-80

h2 =0.5 =(x-80)/60

0.5 x 60 =x-80

30 + 80 = x =110

The average root weight of the progeny of the selected rutabagas is 110 grams

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