# Tests for segregation distortion in higher ploidy F1 populations

## TL;DR

This paper introduces improved statistical tests for detecting segregation distortion in higher ploidy F1 populations, addressing issues like double reduction and genotype uncertainty.

## Contribution

The paper extends segregation distortion tests to higher even ploidy levels and introduces strategies to reduce outlier influence.

## Key findings

- The new tests maintain appropriate type I error control in simulations.
- The approach was validated using empirical data from a hexaploid population.
- The methods are implemented in the segtest R package.

## Abstract

F1 populations are widely used in genetic mapping studies in agriculture, where known pedigrees enable rigorous quality control measures such as segregation distortion testing. However, conventional tests for segregation distortion are inadequate for polyploids, as they fail to account for double reduction, preferential pairing, and genotype uncertainty, leading to inflated type I error rates. Prior work developed a statistical framework to address these issues in tetraploids. Here, we extend these methods to higher even ploidy levels and introduce additional strategies to mitigate the influence of outliers. Through extensive simulations, we demonstrate that our tests maintain appropriate type I error control while retaining power to detect true segregation distortion. We further validate our approach using empirical data from a hexaploid mapping population. Our methods are implemented in the segtest R package, available on the Comprehensive R Archive Network (https://doi.org/10.32614/CRAN.package.segtest).