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Spread of an Undesirable Gene in Populations of Phaseolus lunatus L.¹

An experimentally purified population of Phaseolus lunatus L. ‘Concentrated Fordhook’ was used to estimate the recurrent mutation rate of the recessive allele w to the dominant allele W. No mutations were found in the sample of 387,684 gametes tested and the maximum possible mutation rate was estimated to be 1.5 x 10^–5. The frequency of the dominant allele was estimated in a commercial (unpurified) population and found to be 3.1 x 10^–3. A mathematical analysis indicated that this maximum recurrent mutation rate could not account for the spread of the undesirable W allele in commercial populations of Concentrated Fordhook. A minimum selective advantage of 11% for the WW genotype was proposed and the disparity between this estimate and the previously reported estimate of a 40 per cent disadvantage was discussed.

Key Words: lima beans • mutation • fitness • selection • self-fertilization

² Associate Specialist, Department of Agronomy; Professor of Zoology, Department of Life Sciences; and Assistant Professor of Landscape Horticulture, Department of Landscape Horticulture; University of California.

Received for publication June 5, 1967.