Question

In a population of tomato plants mean fruit weight is 60 g and narrow-sense heritability (or realized heritability - h2) is 0.3. Predict the results of artificial selection (the mean weight of the progeny) if tomato plants whose fruit averaged 80 g were selected from the original population and interbred.

Answer 1

Answer:

The mean weight of the progeny is $66$ grams

Explanation:

Given -

Mean fruit weight of tomato plant (M1) $= 60$ g

Narrow sense heritability (h2) $= 0.3$ g

Mean weight of tomato plant selected for artificial selection (M0) $= 80$ g

$h_2 = \frac{M_2 - M_1}{M_0 - M_1}$

Substituting the given values in above equation, we get -

$0.3 = \frac{M_2 - 60}{80 -60} \\0.3 = \frac{M_2 -60}{20} \\6 = M_2 -60\\M_2 = 6 + 60\\M_2 = 66$

The mean weight of the progeny is $66$ grams