Comparison of Selection Methods for Autotetraploids. I. Theoretical¹

The relative effectiveness of selfed progeny test, selfed family, polycross progeny test, polycross family, full‐sib family, and individual selection was compared theoretically. Initial gene frequency, level of environmental variance, and level of dominance were variables in the comparisons. The comparisons were based on theoretical changes in gene frequencies with one cycle of selection in two‐allele autotetraploid populations that were in random‐mating equilibrium. Theoretical responses with selfed progeny test and selfed family selection were equal and always greater than the other methods. Polycross progeny test selection was the second most effective method, and polycross family selection was the least effective method. Full‐sib family and individual selection were intermediate between polycross progeny test and polycross family selection. Fullsib family selection was more effective than individual selection when environmental variance was large, but individual selection was more effective for some gene frequencies when environmental variance was small.