Get complete information on Heterosis and Inbreeding Depression

Heterosis or Hybrid vigour Term Heterosis was coined by Shull (1914) and in ordinary use hybrid vigour and heterosis are practically synonymous.

Hybrid vigour:

The superiority of the hybrid over either parent in one or more traits. When two unrelated individuals or lines are crossed, the performance of F1 hybrid is often superior to both its parents. Almost all species exhibit heterosis. It is essentially the reverse of inbreeding depression.

Inbreeding Depression:

Loss of vigour and appearance of a number of defective traits associated with inbreeding is called inbreeding depression. Many cross-pollinated crops and all animals’ species exhibit inbreeding depression. On the other hand, the self-pollinated crops do not exhibit ill effects of inbreeding because cross-pollination makes the plants highly heterozygous.

Inbreeding is the mating of two individuals of a species which are related to descent.