POLYGENIC INHERITANCE

Polygenic inheritance:
single characteristic that is controlled by more than two
genes - multifactorial inheritance.
Features:
i. Each polygenic character is controlled by several independent genes.
ii. Polygenic character exhibit continuous variation.
iii. Highly sensitive to environmental changes.
iv. Effect of individual gene is not easily detectable
v. Expression is governed by additive gene action.
vi. Transmission is low because of high amount of environmental
variation.
Analysis of Polygenic Traits:
i. Measurement based on degree of variation
ii. Observation recorded in population.
iii. Studies with the help of mean, variance and covariance.

Assumption of Polygenic Traits:

i. Each of the contributing genes involved in the expression of a character
produces an equal effect.
ii. Each contributing alleles has either cumulative or additive effect in the
expression of character.
iii. There is no epistasis among genes at different loci.
iv. The linkage is in equilibrium.
v. The environmental effects are absent.
Examples of Polygenic Traits:
1. Kernel colour in wheat
2. Corolla length in Tobacco
3. Skin colour inheritance in man.
Transgressive Segregation:
• Appearance of transgressive segregants in F2 is an important feature of polygenic
inheritance.
• The segregants which fall outside the limits of both the parents are known as
transgressive segregants.
Example:
TYPES :
1. Phenotypic Variability:
• It includes both genotypic and environmental variation.
2. Genotypic Variability:
• It is the inherent or genetic variability which remains unaltered by
environmental conditions. It consists of additive, dominance and
epistatic components.
3. Environmental Variability:
• It is non heritable variation. This uncontrolled variation is measured in
terms of error mean variance.
Differences between Additive Variance and
Dominance Variance:
Additive Variance Dominance Variance

i. Difference between homozygotes Deviation of Aa from the mean of A A and aa

ii. Genes show lack of dominance Genes show incomplete, complete or over
dominance.
iii. Associated with homozygosity Associated with heterozygosity

iv. It is fixable Non fixable

v. Selection is very effective Selection is ineffective

vi. It is the cause of transgressive segregation Cause of heterosis

Significance of Polygenes:
i. It has great evolutionary significance
ii. Increase the crop yield
iii. Variation for speciation