title: AlphaSim: Software for Breeding Program Simulation.
abstract: This paper describes AlphaSim, a software package for simulating plant and animal breeding programs. AlphaSim enables the simulation of multiple aspects of breeding programs with a high degree of flexibility. AlphaSim simulates breeding programs in a series of steps: (i) simulate haplotype sequences and pedigree; (ii) drop haplotypes into the base generation of the pedigree and select single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and quantitative trait nucleotide (QTN); (iii) assign QTN effects, calculate genetic values, and simulate phenotypes; (iv) drop haplotypes into the burn-in generations; and (v) perform selection and simulate new generations. The program is flexible in terms of historical population structure and diversity, recent pedigree structure, trait architecture, and selection strategy. It integrates biotechnologies such as doubled-haploids (DHs) and gene editing and allows the user to simulate multiple traits and multiple environments, specify recombination hot spots and cold spots, specify gene jungles and deserts, perform genomic predictions, and apply optimal contribution selection. AlphaSim also includes restart functionalities, which increase its flexibility by allowing the simulation process to be paused so that the parameters can be changed or to import an externally created pedigree, trial design, or results of an analysis of previously simulated data. By combining the options, a user can simulate simple or complex breeding programs with several generations, variable population structures and variable breeding decisions over time. In conclusion, AlphaSim is a flexible and computationally efficient software package to simulate biotechnology enhanced breeding programs with the aim of performing rapid, low-cost, and objective in silico comparison of breeding technologies.
authors.forename: Anne-Michelle
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Faux
authors.forename: Gregor
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Gorjanc
authors.forename: R Chris
authors.initials: RC
authors.lastname: Gaynor
authors.forename: Mara
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Battagin
authors.forename: Stefan M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Edwards
authors.forename: David L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Wilson
authors.forename: Sarah J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Hearne
authors.forename: Serap
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gonen
authors.forename: John M
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Hickey
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D003198:Computer Simulation; D008957:Models, Genetic; D010375:Pedigree; D010641:Phenotype; D000069600:Plant Breeding; D020641:Polymorphism, Single Nucleotide; D040641:Quantitative Trait Loci / Q000235:genetics; D012984:Software