Peer-review: Yes - Open Access: Yes|http://science.thomsonreuters.com/cgi-bin/jrnlst/jlresults.cgi?PC=MASTER&ISSN=1943-2631

The most recent of the many explanations of heterosis is that is it the expression of the joint action favorable combinations of genes at different loci: it is that interaction, such as complementary action, between nonallelic genes brought together from the parents surpasses the simple summation of the effects of these genes in the parents. Comstock and Robinson (1948) pointed out that such nonallelic interaction (dominance) and they and other contributors suggested in Heterosis (1952) that epistasis might be partly responsible for heterotic effects. Jinks (1954a, 1955) has suggested that apparent overdominance may be due partly to epitasis. We present a new method of testing for and measuring epitasis in a diallel experiment carried to the F2 generation and of examining the connection between heterosis and epitasis. We discuss several diallel experiments and relate our investigation to the recent diallel analysis of Jinks and Hayman (1953 and later). We also make some points of interest to plant breeders.

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