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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology

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Informed Discussion of Beekeeping Issues and Bee Biology <[log in to unmask]>
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Sat, 14 Apr 2012 15:41:56 GMT
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From: "[log in to unmask]" <[log in to unmask]>

>...I think to do call this "hybrid vigor" is a misnomer.

Let me elaborate.

Hybrid vigor usually refers to "a lack of inbreeding weakness".

In the case of bees (because of how the sex determination gene works), inbred lines (inbred to "fix" specific traits) are often very weak because of inbreeding...much of the population doesn't live more than a few hours after the eggs hatch.  According to Randy Quinn (who did much of the fieldwork in the starline and midnight programs), the inbred lines were so weak that they had to be constantly fed brood and stored food from other colonies in order to survive.

On a side note...I'm curious if there are any hybrid breeding programs like these in operation?

In the case of 2 lines of bees that are selected for temperment (and have been for a very long time), one would expect such traits to be exhibited in the cross....just like one would expect the traits in 2 inbred lines to be present in their cross.

...but this isn't what we see.

So, I think there is something at work other than hybrid vigor...otherwise, other traits besides temperament would be lost when inbred lines are crossed.

deknow

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