Genetic divergence among 2- and 3-way White Leghorn strain crosses for some production traits

Abstract

White Leghom pullets (1 033) belonging to 20 genetic groups (single crosses 12 and 3-way crosses 8) resulting from 4 White Leghorn strains conlribulCddata for this study. The traits measured on each pullet were body weight at 140,280 and 500 days of age, egg production to 260, 280 and 500 days of age, age at sexual maturity and egg weightat 280 days of age. Gencticdivergence was nonsignificant among the genetic groups when data were analysed for 2-way and 3-way crosses separately or together using Mahalanobis D₂ statistics. The vectors, A₁ and A₂ accounted for 80.8% of genetic diversity in 2-way crosses, 72.1 % in 3-way crosses and 76.1 % for the combined data of 2- and 3-way crosses considering the characters in this study. All the 12 genetic groups of 2-way crosses and 8 genetic groups of 3-way crosses whether considered separately or together belonged to one cluster only.