Genotype-Environment Interactions in Broiler Stocks of Chickens

Abstract

THE importance of non-additive genotype-environment interactions in broiler stocks is of considerable interest to breeders, as such interactions will influence the breeder’s testing program. The regional approach, with a number of state agricultural experiment stations cooperating, is one logical way of investigating these interactions since environments in different states may be more diverse than those existing at locations within a state or station. Investigations at the regional level more nearly represent the actual distribution of commercial stocks as compared with research that is limited geographically. This study is one of a series conducted by participants in the Southern Regional Poultry Breeding Project (S-57) to determine the relative importance of genotype-environment interactions in broiler stocks. Only a limited number of studies with broiler stocks have been conducted to determine the importance of genotype by environment (location, diet, management, etc.) interactions; however, a large number of studies (see Hale, 1961) have been . . .