Genetic load in tribolium.

Abstract

Estimates of A, B, and B/A in Tribolium appear to be of the same general order of magnitude as in Drosophila. There are, however, some differences in these parameters both between the 2 species studied, and within species between inbred and noninbred populations. Furthermore, different nonin-bred populations of T. confusum also show heterogeneity in the amounts of genetic load. The relatively low magnitudes of B to A ratios, and the existence of unexplainable differences between the various populations make the Morton, Crow, and Muller method not a particularly useful one for discriminating between mutational and balanced loads. Evidence for synergism of gene action at the level of inbreeding (half-sib and full-sib mating) studied was obtained for T. confusum.