Summary
A series of experiments was conducted to investigate the effectiveness of mass propagated heterogeneous populations (bulk populations) in preserving genetic and phenotypic diversity. Five genetically broad-based bulk populations of cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) were employed. All of them were produced originally through mass hybridization that was facilitated by male sterility. Four of these populations had a common origin, but were subsequently propagated in different North American locations. Comparisons between early and advanced generations of these bulk populations revealed loss of variability in all populations for morphological and agronomic characters and very little to none for eight isozyme characters. Populations propagated in different locations differed in levels of residual diversity. The bulk populations were less variable than a random sample of parental accessions. The rapid loss of diversity in bulk populations was considered detrimental to genetic conservation.
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Jana, S., Khangura, B.S. Conservation of diversity in bulk populations of barley (hordeum vulgare L.). Euphytica 35, 761–776 (1986). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028584
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00028584