A model for genetic relationship among offspring from open-pollinated plant populations

Based on monoecious, diploid plant species, a model is constructed to determine genetic relationship within the seed production of an open-pollinated population, characterized by its rates of self-fertilization, population density and mode of pollen dispersal. Genetic relationship is measured by the coefficient of inbreeding of a seed produced by a mother plant located at a specified place, or by the coefficient of kinship between two seeds, produced from the same mother plant or produced from two different mother plants separated by a certain distance. The influence of the single parameters on these coefficients is demonstrated by some typical examples, which show that dimensionality of the habitat (one- or two-dimensional), as well as, range and type of pollen dispersal, has little influence on the relationship between seed produced from the same mother plant and, on the other hand, emphasize the important role of the rate of self-fertilization and population density. Some remarks on how to apply Wright's concept of neighbourhood to continuous plant populations close this paper.