Inbreeding Depression in Selfing?

Inbreeding depression is one of the leading factors preventing the evolution of self-fertilization in plants. In populations where self-fertilization evolves, theory suggests that natural selection against partially recessive deleterious alleles will reduce inbreeding depression.

What causes inbreeding depression in plants?

The explanation for inbreeding depression lies in the evolutionary history of the population. Over time, natural selection weeds deleterious alleles out of a population — when the dominant deleterious alleles are expressed, they lower the carrier's fitness, and fewer copies wind up in the next generation.

Is inbreeding the same as selfing?

Selfing or self-fertilization is the union of male and female gametes and/or nuclei from the same haploid, diploid, or polyploid organism. It is an extreme degree of inbreeding. ... In others, it is a rare event; selfing in such species is more common in adverse environmental conditions, or in the absence of a partner.