| Laboratory experiments, genetic simulation, and theoretical analyses were performed to address several objectives related to the use of genetic markers in plant breeding programs. Two software packages were developed: GREGOR provides flexible and efficient computer algorithms for performing genetic simulation experiments, and KIN provides improved methods for estimating coancestry from known pedigrees. Random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) markers were investigated in elite barley lines, and estimates of genetic distance based on RAPD markers were compared to estimates based on coancestry. Both types of estimate can provide information that is useful to breeders and geneticists. Genetic simulation was used to investigate the power, accuracy and precision of several methods that are available for analyzing quantitative trait loci (QTL). In most cases, simplified methods of QTL analysis based on linear regression were similar or superior to more complex methods based on mixture models. Methods for genetic analysis using selective genotyping and pooled DNA were also investigated. These methods may allow precise estimates of the positions of markers and QTL to be made. |
