EFFECTS OF INBREEDING ON CUT-FLOWER YIELD IN GERBERA

Inbreeding depression for cut-flower yield was found in gerbera (Gerbe ra hybrida, Compositae). A selection experiment for cut-flower yield i n the Davis population was conducted over sixteen generations and the mean cut-flower yield increased from 10.3 flowers to 28.3 flowers. Cut -flower yield was recorded on individual plants grown in the greenhous e and inbreeding coefficients were calculated for each plant based on its pedigree. The effects of inbreeding on yield were estimated by cov ariance analysis models. The results of this study indicate that first , inbreeding increased 1% per generation in this population and second ly, inbreeding had the negative effect of reducing cut-flower yield by one-quarter flower per generation for every one percent increase in i nbreeding.