The objectives of this paper were to derive the genetic variance of inbreeding depression (<img SRC="Image482.gif" WIDTH="48" HEIGHT="33"> ) and to predict the range of inbreeding depression (RID) in cross-pollinated populations. The variance of inbreeding depression is a function of the genetic variances related to dominance effects (<img SRC="Image483.gif" WIDTH="31" HEIGHT="33">, D2, and <img SRC="Image484.gif" WIDTH="21" HEIGHT="25">), and of the inbreeding coefficients of the two generations in which inbreeding depression is measured (Ft and Fg). The results showed that the higher the level of dominance of a trait, the higher the variance of inbreeding depression. The magnitudes of <img SRC="Image485.gif" WIDTH="48" HEIGHT="33">were expected to be lower in improved (mean gene frequencies = <img SRC="Image486.gif" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="25">> 0.6) and in unimproved (<img SRC="Image487.gif" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="25"> < 0.4) populations, than in composite populations (<img SRC="Image487.gif" WIDTH="16" HEIGHT="25"> <FONT FACE="Symbol">»</font> 0.5). Data from a maize population used to illustrate the study showed that the range of inbreeding depression in the S<FONT FACE="Symbol">¥</font> generation of selfing was from 48.7% to 85.3% for grain yield, and from 13.9% to 24.5% for plant height. A mating design outlined to estimate the genetic variance of inbreeding depression, the range of inbreeding depression, and of the range of inbred lines is presented.
