FIXATION PROBABILITIES OF SELFING RATE MODIFIERS IN SIMULATIONS WITH SEVERAL DELETERIOUS ALLELES WITH LINKAGE

The fixation rates of selfing rate modifiers were found by stochastic simulation in an infinite site model, including effects of several del eterious alleles with variable effects, which were randomly distribute d in the genome without assuming any pollen discounting. Previous resu lts on the evolution of selfing obtained by more precise methods were in this study further validated, and it was concluded that the effect of genetic associations on the evolution of mating systems is small ex cept in the case of full pollen discounting. Furthermore, attention wa s given to the uneven distribution of the genetic load in the populati on, and the accompanying large among-genome variation in fixation rate s. This among-genome variation will be of significance for the evoluti on of mating systems.