A Probability Method for Treating Inbreeding Systems, Especially with Linked Genes

A simple method was developed to handle inbreeding systems in terms of probability rather than in terms of correlation as in Wright's theory. As applied to the case of a single gene, the method is very similar to Malecot's approach which makes use of the concept of identity by descent. As applied to linked loci, it yields all the main results through the method of path coefficients. Though it should be equivalent to Wright's method, the present method may have anADVANTAGE IN THAT IT UTILIZES ONLY SIMPLE PROBABILITY CALCULATIONS AND NO NEW CONCEPT OR PRELIMINARY KNOWLEDGE OF CORRELATION OR PATH ANALYSIS IS REQUIRED. In addition to the conventional inbreeding systems, the method was applied to cases of partial self-fertilization and a circular mating system. The utility and limitation of the present method to handle more general cases were also discussed. (Author)