This book represents a compilation of work done in the area of “selection indices” in animal and plant breeding.
Selection indices were originally developed by Smith (1936) in plant breeding and by Hazel (1943) in animal breeding to address the selection of plants or animals scored for multiple traits.
In agriculture, the breeding worth (or net genetic merit) of a candidate for selection depends on several traits. For example, grain yield, disease resistance, and flowering time.
The techniques described this book were developed mainly with plant breeding as a focal point. Each Chapter has a theoretical section and a practical section where examples are carefully described. In Chapter 11 the use of RindSel (R software to analyze Selection Indices) is presented with examples for using, among others, the Smith, and ESIM selections indices as well as restrictive selection indices (when some traits are set not to change), null or predetermined proportional gain selection indices.
