Sample size for collecting germplasms from natural plant populations in view of the genotypic multiplicity of seed embryos borne on a single plant

Summary

A method to collect germplasms from natural plant populations (collection sites) has been investigated for the numbers of plants and seeds per plant to be sampled. It is derived that in predominantly selfing populations the success of sampling is primarily determined by the number of plants rather than seeds per plant, since the genotypes of seed embryos produced on a highly selfing plant are highly homozygous and homogeneous. The number of plants, however, does not need to be large. The drawback of a shortage in the plant number can be avoided by collecting sufficient seeds from each plant. Computations for some probable situations lead to the conclusion that a few plants per population may be enough if the plants bear a few hundred seeds each and are not highly selfing. This sample size is much smaller and more practicable than those proposed previously.