Animal Science Abstract
Selection in the presence of a genotype by environment interaction : response in environmental sensitivity
R. Kolmodin1,A, E. Strandberg1, H. Jorjani1,B and B. Danell1
AE-mail: Rebecka.Kolmodin@hgen.slu.se
BAlso a member of staff of the Interbull Centre.
Abstract
The effect of selection for high phenotypic value in the presence of a genotype by environment interaction (G 5 E, i.e. genetic variation for environmental sensitivity) and an improving environment was studied in a simulation. Environmental sensitivity was evaluated by using reaction norms, which describe the phenotype expressed by a genotype as a function of the environment. Three types of reaction norms (linear, quadratic and sigmoid), and two selection schemes (mass selection and progeny test selection) were studied. Environmental sensitivity was measured as the weighted average of the absolute value of the first derivative of the reaction norm function. Results showed that environmental sensitivity increased in response to selection for high phenotypic value in the presence of G 5 E and an improving environment when reaction norms were linear or quadratic. For sigmoid reaction norms, approximating threshold characters, environmental sensitivity increased within the environmental range encompassing the threshold. With mass selection and/or non-linear reaction norms, environmental sensitivity increased even without environmental change.
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