Inheritance of Characteristics in Domestic FowlDavenport, Charles Benedict
Science
Inheritance of Characteristics in Domestic Fowl
Davenport, Charles Benedict
Heredity; Poultry
As we have seen, failure of dominance is much more complete in
some of the individuals of F2, namely, those with 4 toes, than
others. There is a variation in "potency." Is the degree of potency
inherited? Do the 4-toed heterozygotes produce a larger proportion of
imperfect dominants in F2 than the 5-toed heterozygotes? The answer
to this question should be given by the correlation between total
number of toes in the two parents and average number of toes in their
offspring, as given in table 11. In the case of the Houdan crosses
there is a strong positive correlation, measured by 0.683±0.092;
but the correlation is insignificant in the Silkie crosses
(-0.085±0.032). This lack of correlation in the Silkie hybrids is
perhaps due to the heavy regression in toe-number characteristic
of the second hybrid generation. In general, there seems to be an
inheritance of potency.
It now remains to test our conclusions by reference to the mating
of the heterozygote with the dominant and with the recessive types,
respectively. An examination of tables 13 to 15, particularly the
last, reveals several points of interest. Mendelian expectation
in the DR × R cross is 50 per cent of the recessive (4-4) type.
Actually, in the two crosses, A and B, 68 per cent and 67 per
cent, respectively, were obtained. But recalling that of these
amounts one-half of 27.3, or 13.71, and one-half of 9.4, or
4.7, are respectively due to failure to develop the extra-toe
in heterozygotes, there remain 54 per cent and 62 per cent,
respectively, of 4-toed offspring, which doubtless represent the
extracted RR type and approach the expected proportions.
Mendelian expectation in the DR × D cross (table 15) is 50 per
cent heterozygotes and 50 per cent extracted dominants. Of the
heterozygotes some 14 per cent may be expected to show 4-4 toes; that
the percentage is much less than that is doubtless due to the small
numbers involved. What is striking is the reappearance, in the second
generation, of large proportions of the extreme dominant type. These
results thus confirm those of the F2 generation.
Since extra-toe frequently fails to dominate, there should be certain
4-toed heterozygotes which throw extra-toe offspring, and such are
found. In table 16 are given six matings of 4-toed DR's. One sees
that they produce some 5-toed offspring. On the other hand, extracted
4-toed recessives are obtained, as table 17 shows.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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