This book fills the gap between textbooks of quantitative genetic
theory, and software manuals that provide details on analytical methods
but little context or perspective on which methods may be most
appropriate for a particular application. Accordingly this book is
composed of two sections. The first section (Chapters 1 to 8) covers
topics of classical phenotypic data analysis for prediction of breeding
values in animal and plant breeding programs. In the second section
(Chapters 9 to 13) we provide the concept and overall review of
available tools for using DNA markers for predictions of genetic merits
in breeding populations. With advances in DNA sequencing technologies,
genomic data, especially single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) markers,
have become available for animal and plant breeding programs in recent
years. Analysis of DNA markers for prediction of genetic merit is a
relatively new and active research area. The algorithms and software to
implement these algorithms are changing rapidly. This section represents
state-of-the-art knowledge on the tools and technologies available for
genetic analysis of plants and animals. However, readers should be aware
that the methods or statistical packages covered here may not be
available or they might be out of date in a few years. Ultimately the
book is intended for professional breeders interested in utilizing these
tools and approaches in their breeding programs. Lastly, we anticipate
the usage of this volume for advanced level graduate courses in
agricultural and breeding courses.
