The effect of different selection intensities on selection response in egg-laying ofTribolium castaneum

Abstract

SUMMARYAn experiment was carried out to test the effect of varying selection intensity on the response to individual selection with a fixed number of individuals scored per generation. The selected trait was egg laying of virgin females ofTribolium castaneumscored from the 7th to the 1 lth day after adult emergence. Five different selected proportions of females were considered (5, 10, 20, 33 and 50%) and each treatment was represented by two replicate lines. Control lines were maintained throughout the experiment. The lines selected at the lowest proportions (5 and 10%) led to the largest initial gains, but the largest final gains were achieved, by the lines where the proportions selected were 10 and 20%, in agreement with theory. Lines where the proportion selected was 50% gave the lowest rate of response over the period considered (32 generations). A good agreement was found between predicted and realized short-term responses to selection. Prediction at later stages of selection deteriorated in the most strongly selected lines mainly due to the levels of inbreeding attained.