Hi Dee & all

 > with II: Why cannot it be used with outbreeding/mating for better
 > genetics and not to just hold closed populations or like?

II is a method of controlling mating, either producing 'special' matings 
or 'ordinary' matings... What the male and female components of the 
system are, does not come into it, as you can choose both female genetic 
side and genetics of the drones, as well as the numbers of drones involved.

In fact if it is outbreeding that you desire for your purpose, you can 
use homogenised semen from large numbers of drones and produce outbred 
bees by II with far more diversity than any naturally mated queen (up to 
several hundred patrilines).

You may equate outbreeding with better genetics, but outbreeding does 
not result in 'better genetics', just greater 'diversity'.

One very good reason for using II in a closed population is to ensure 
that the diversity within that population is kept high enough. A closed 
population may only contain a few hundreds or low thousands of strains, 
if you are working with a bee of low mating frequency (like most of US) 
you are always more in danger of running into inbreeding, whether by 
natural mating or II, than if you are working with a bee that exhibits a 
higher mating frequency.


Regards & Best 73s, Dave Cushman, G8MZY
http://website.lineone.net/~dave.cushman or http://www.dave-cushman.net
Short FallBack M/c, Build 6.02/3.1 (stable)

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