Re: Selfing

In a message dated 11/14/2001 12:19:15 PM Mountain Standard Time, kblair@qwest.net writes:


Correct me if I'm wrong.  You can't compare plant selfing to animal(sexual reproduction)single sex, where you have a male and a female.  Pumpkin X self is sexual reproduction of exact twins, can't do that in single sex(male or female)animals.  With consistent inbreeding of animals, such as dogs(brother/sister/mother/father) you start to breed out the dominant genes, and recessive genes(some having poor qualities) become the norm.  I'm sure with pumpkins, that if you keep selfing offspring after offspring you will eventually have the same problems, but its going to take more in the way of generations to produce the poor genetics.  You might improve the offspring in selfed pumpkins the first generation or two,  but after that your going to start having diminished, almost exact reproductions.  Just trying to remember what I learned in genetics in college. That was a long time ago and I was confused back then about it. 
        Kenny B.


there are some animals whos population consists only of females that clone themselves, this eventually leads to bacteria killing them off due to the lack of genetic diversity. Just my $.02.
Tom
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