Re: IRIS-L digest 327

Kay Cangemi wrote:

:  What is line breeding? It's a term I've heard hybridizer use, but I've
:  never heard an explanation.

It just means crossing clones that are fairly closely related.  It certainly
includes crosses to sibs, half-sibs & cousins and well as backcrosses to
ancestors.  Many of usalso use the term for crosses to distant "cousins", as
long as we can identify the common ancestor(s).  Line-breeding is especially
useful in working with recessive traits, because it's possible to develop a
"line" that has a high incidence of the desired genes.

To put this in perspective, the opposite is "out-crossing" -- the term for
crossing to a clone from a different line. 
This may be done with a similar-in-appearance clone from a different line, in
order to broaden the gene pool, or with one from a completely different line to
bring in some new, desired trait.

Both have a place in any program.  They are complementary, not contradictory.
But I think this is enough for "Lesson 1".

Thanks for asking.  This is exactly the type of thing I had in mind when I
called for questions -- a term that we so take for granted that no one is likely
to define it unless someone brings it up.

Sharon McAllister (73372.1745@compuserve.com)
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