This geometric mean principle governs the evolutionary interplay of genes controlling mean phenotype and genes controlling phenotypic variation, such as genetic regulators of the epigenetic machinery.
The plant height-related QTLs explained 3 24 % the phenotypic variation (mean value, 8 %), and 29 of them were detected in at least two field trials.
Our pilot mapping experiment shows that plummeting sequencing costs make natural transformation combined with genomics a powerful means to map natural phenotypic variation.
The first task was facilitated by early developments in population genetic theory, particularly the findings of Fisher (1930), which Ford interpreted to mean that naturally occurring, discontinuous phenotypic variation is "nearly always genetic".
For the trait DTF1, number of days until the inflorescence first became visible to the unaided eye, QTL could explain between 10 and 64% (mean 39%) of the total phenotypic variation, with individual QTL accounting for 3 54% of variation (Table 2).
Entry mean-basis heritability was calculated based on the work of Bernardo (2010) as additive genetic variance of the RIL means [VaRIL=(MSgenotype−MSresidual)/reps] divided by total phenotypic variation among line means (Vp=VaRIL+MSresidual).
Changes in the environment (age) could induce phenotypic variation by means of stochasticity and therefore lead to lower heritability values and less highly heritable transcripts in older worms.
A major QTL, qBPB-3-1, which accounted for approximately 14%% of phenotypic variation in the mean of the 2001 and 2002 annual averages, was found to be co-located with a QTL for heading date.
Similarly, the two DArT markers could explain 10.0% and 6.6% of phenotypic variation for the mean values of 2011 and 2012.
Importantly, the genetic-background-specific phenotypic differences provide a means for understanding the cause of phenotypic variation.
