Selection in reference to biological groups. VI. Use of extreme forms of nonrandom groups to increase selection efficiency.

The strategy of using non-random groups to increase the efficiency of truncation selection is discussed. The present study, which considers extreme forms of non-rnadom groups, complements a previous study involving full-sib groups. It is shown that of the two kinds of non-randomness, i.e. that due to homozygosity or that due to homogeneity (as represented by cloning), the latter is the most effective. This suggests that with those plant crops in which intense competition among plants exists, use of clonal propagation to produce non-random groups should be investigated.