Theory for the number of genes affecting quantitative characters : I. Estimation of and variance of the estimation of gene number for quantitative traits controlled by additive genes having equal effect.

A general expression for gene number estimation which encompasses the conventional formula was derived. It provides a basis for gene number estimation from the data of recurrent selection experiments that are not of sufficient duration to measure total response to selection.Gene number estimates are considerably more reliable when heritability is high. The effect of heritability on sampling variance is particularly important when gene number is large.Generally the most effective ways of decreasing the variance of a gene number estimate will be 1) to increase the number of generations in a primary selection program, 2) to increase the number of generations in the two way selection program and 3) to increase population size.