Genes are competing directly with theiralleles for survival, since theiralleles in the gene pool are rivals for their slot on the chromosomes of future generations. Any gene that behaves in such a way as to increase its own survival chances in the gene pool at the expense of itsalleles will, by definition, tautologously, tend to survive.
Plant breeding is always a numbers game.[…]The wild species we use are rich in genetic variation, and individual plants are highly heterozygous and do not breed true. In addition, we are looking for rarealleles, so the more plants we try, the better.
