Relatedness and status number in seed orchard crops

Status number is a measure of effective population size that is based on current relatedness only. Formulae are developed for group coancestry (=average coancestry) and status number for seed orchard crops. The formulae consider (1) differences in reproductive success among orchard genotypes, (2) relatedness between pairs of orchard genotypes, (3) inbreeding of orchard genotypes, (4) influence of pollen contamination (considering its relatedness both to itself and to the genotypes in the orchard), and (5) gender differences and sexual asymmetries of orchard genotypes. Properties of status number and other measures of effective number are discussed. They may refer to rate or state, to the reference population or the development of an idealized population, and to different moments in the sexual cycle.