ABSTRACT
This chapter reviews the designs which are most apt to be used for estimating genotypic variances and covariances and, in some cases, to give examples of the calculations that are required to derive estimates and standard errors of those estimates. Any experimental design that provides estimates of genotypic and phenotypic variances appropriate to single trait selection also will provide estimates of variances and covariances pertinent to the development and application of selection indices. One design which is sometimes used for estimating genotypic and phenotypic variances and covariances is simply to test the progeny of crosses between random pairs of parents from a given population. The worked examples include methodology for calculating approximate standard errors for estimates of variances and covariances, and for estimates of heritability.
