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In the second edition of Biometrical Genetics, which appeared in
1971, we set out to give a general account of the subject as it had
developed up to that time. Such an account necessarily had to be
comprehensive and reasonably detailed. Although it could be, and
indeed has been, used by those who were making an acquaintance with
this branch of genetics for the first time, it went beyond their
needs. We have been encouraged therefore to write an introduction
to the genetical analysis of continuous variation aimed primarily
at senior undergraduate and postgraduate students, and
concentrating on basic considerations, basic principles and basic
techniques. This has meant, of course, omitting all reference to
some phenomena of more restricted interest, notably sex-linkage, ma
ternal effects, haploidy and polyploidy. It has meant, too, that
even with some phenomena which have been included, like
interactions, linkage and effective factors, the discussions cannot
go into full detail. Anyone who is interested, however, can find
further information in Biometrical Genetics, to which detailed
references have been given where it ap peared that these would be
helpful. The order of presentation has been changed with the aim of
making it easier for beginners."
The properties of continuous variation are basic to the theory of
evolution and to the practice of plant and animal improvement. Yet
the genetical study of continuous variation has lagged far behind
that of discontinuous variation. The reason for this situation is
basically methodological. Mendel gave us not merely his principles
of heredity, but also a method of experiment by which these
principles could be tested over a wider range ofliving species, and
extended into the elaborate genetical theory of today. The power of
this tool is well attested by the speed with which genetics has
grown. In less than fifty years, it has not only developed a
theoretical structure which is unique in the biological sciences,
but has established a union with nuclear cytology so close that the
two have become virtually a single science offering us a new
approach to problems so diverse as those of evolution, development,
disease, cellular chemistry and human welfare. Much of this
progress would have been impossible and all would have been slower
without the Mendelian method of recognizing and using unit
differences in the genetic materials. These great achievements
should not, however, blind us to the limitations inherent in the
method itself. It depends for its success on the ability to assign
the individuals to classes whose clear phenotypic distinctions
reveal the underlying genetic differences.
In the second edition of Biometricai Genetics, which appeared in
1971, we set out to give a general account of the subject as it had
developed up to that time. Such an account necessarily had to be
comprehensive and reasonably detailed. Although it could be, and
indeed has been, used by those who were making an acquaintance with
this branch of genetics for the first time, it went beyond their
needs. We have been encouraged therefore to write an introduction
to the genetical analysis of continuous variation aimed primarily
at senior undergraduate and postgraduate students, and
concentrating on basic considerations, basic principles and basic
techniques. This has meant, of course, omitting all reference to
some phenomena of more restricted interest, notably sex-linkage, ma
ternal effects, haploidy and polyploidy. It has meant, too, that
even with some phenomena which have been included, like
interactions, linkage and effective factors, the discussions cannot
go into full detail. Anyone who is interested, however, can find
further information in Biometricai Genetics, to which detailed
references have been given where it ap peared that these would be
helpful. The order of presentation has been changed with the aim of
making it easier for beginners.
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