>
> >Agreed, but following Zayed & Harpur I think that the high rate of
> recombination prevents excessive inbreeding, and produces adequate
> variation, in the commercial population as well.


Recombination makes new combinations, but does not create new sex alleles,
nor allelic variation.  Judging from number of breeders used, mitochondrial
analysis, color, and behavior alone, I suspect lack of variation in
commercial stocks, compared to wild type stocks.

In my own operation, inbred for a number of years, I have queens of every
color and pattern, suggesting to me an adequate degree of variation, using
color as a proxy.  The downside is that there is also a wide degree of
performance.  All gentle, but a bell curve of buildup and honey production,
as well as mite resistance.

-- 
Randy Oliver
Grass Valley, CA
www.ScientificBeekeeping.com

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