Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Recurrent selection is a cyclic breeding procedure designed to increase the frequency of desirable alleles in a population through repeated selection and intermating of superior individuals.
Reciprocal Recurrent Selection (RRS) is a specialized method that uses two genetically diverse, heterozygous populations as testers for each other to simultaneously improve both populations.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze both statements:
1. Analysis of Statement (I): Reciprocal Recurrent Selection (RRS) was proposed by Comstock, Robinson, and Harvey in 1949.
It is designed to simultaneously improve two populations (referred to as Population A and Population B) for their combining ability.
Plants selected from Population A are crossed with a sample of plants from Population B (serving as the tester), and vice versa.
This dual selection improves both General Combining Ability (GCA, mediated by additive gene action) and Specific Combining Ability (SCA, mediated by non-additive gene action, such as dominance and overdominance) between the two populations. Thus, Statement (I) is correct.
2. Analysis of Statement (II): RRS is highly effective because it exploits both additive and non-additive genetic variances simultaneously.
- When dominance is partial or complete, RRS is as effective as recurrent selection for GCA.
- When overdominance is present, RRS is as effective as recurrent selection for SCA.
Therefore, RRS is a versatile, comprehensive breeding method that is superior (not inferior) to GCA-only or SCA-only recurrent selection methods over the long term, as it accommodates all types of gene action. Thus, Statement (II) is incorrect.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Statement (I) is correct, but Statement (II) is incorrect. This corresponds to option (C).