Gaugler R, McGuire T, Campbell J
J Nematol. 1989 Apr;21(2):247-53.
A systematic program of genetic improvement was initiated by assessing the phenotypic variation of Steinernema feltiae strains for two traits assumed to limit efficacy: ultraviolet tolerance and host-finding ability. All of the strains assayed showed both low ultraviolet tolerance and poor host-finding ability, indicating that the likelihood of improving these traits through more extensive population sampling is remote. Limited genetic variation was detected among the strains for tolerance to ultraviolet, suggesting that selective breeding for increased tolerance would be inefficient. By contrast, highly significant phenotypic differences were found with regard to host-finding ability, suggesting that this trait would be responsive to selection. A genetically heterogeneous population was constructed by round-robin mating of 10 strains; it will serve as the foundation population for selective breeding.
通过评估斯氏线虫菌株在两个被认为会限制其效力的性状上的表型变异，启动了一项系统的遗传改良计划：紫外线耐受性和宿主寻找能力。所有检测的菌株都表现出较低的紫外线耐受性和较差的宿主寻找能力，这表明通过更广泛的种群采样来改善这些性状的可能性很小。在菌株之间检测到对紫外线耐受性的遗传变异有限，这表明通过选择育种提高耐受性将是低效的。相比之下，在宿主寻找能力方面发现了高度显著的表型差异，这表明该性状对选择有反应。通过对10个菌株进行循环交配构建了一个遗传异质群体；它将作为选择性育种的基础群体。
