APPROXIMATE THRESHOLDS OF INTERVAL MAPPING TESTS FOR QTL DETECTION

A general method is proposed for calculating approximate thresholds of interval mapping tests for quantitative trait loci (QTL) detection. S imulation results show that this method, when applied to backcross and F-2 populations, gives good approximations and is useful for any situ ation. Programs which calculate these thresholds for backcross, recomb inant inbreds and F-2 for any given level and any chromosome with any given distribution of codominant markers were written in Fortran 77 an d are available under request. The approach presented here could be us ed to obtain, after suitable calculations, thresholds for most segrega ting populations used in QTL mapping experiments.