Plant Breeding: Objectives and Reproduction Modes

• The course aims to impart theoretical knowledge and practical skills in plant breeding objectives, modes of reproduction, genetic consequences, and breeding methods for crop improvement.
• Learning outcomes include understanding breeding procedures in self- and cross-pollinated crops, heterosis exploitation, population improvement programs, hybrid breeding implications, floral biology, and fundamentals of mutation, polyploidy, and wide hybridization.

Unit 1

• Covers definition, history, aims, and general objectives of plant breeding.
• Discusses major achievements, future prospects, and modes of reproduction in crop plants.
• Focuses on self-incompatibility types (heteromorphic SI, homomorphic SI) and its utilization in plant breeding.
• Examines male sterility, including genetic consequences (Genetic MS, Cytoplasmic Genetic MS, Transgenic MS) and chemical hybridizing agents.
• Explores centers of origin/diversity of major crop plants.
• Provides a brief account of genetic variation, heritability, and genetic advance.

Unit 2

• Includes plant introduction, the role of plant genetic resources in plant breeding, primary and secondary introduction with advantages and disadvantages
• Acclimatization is covered with definition, concept and factors affecting it
• Discusses breeding methods in self-pollinated crops, mass selection (definition, genetic basis, features, merits, demerits, achievements).
• Pure line selection (definition, uses, merits, demerits, achievements)
• Hybridization techniques and handling of segregating population (Pedigree and bulk methods)
• Back cross methods (definition, objective, achievements), procedure for transfer of dominant and recessive gene through backcross method

Unit 3

• Covers concepts of population genetics, Hardy-Weinberg Law, and factors affecting it.
• Describes breeding methods in cross-pollinated crops, including population improvement schemes like mass selection, ear to row method, and recurrent selection.
• Development of inbred lines, hybrids, hybrid breeding, heterosis and inbreeding depression, effects and estimation of heterosis, genetic basis/theories of heterosis & Inbreeding depression are discussed.
• Wide hybridization concepts like definition, types incompatibility barriers for wide hybridization, techniques for overcoming incompatibility barriers are studied

Unit 4

• Focuses on breeding methods in asexually propagated crops and clonal selection (definition, features, procedure, merits, demerits).
• Discusses the mutation breeding concept (definition, procedure, scope).
• Considers breeding for biotic and abiotic stresses like insect resistance, drought, and salt stress tolerance.
• Highlights the role of polyploidy and molecular breeding, including marker-assisted selection.

Practical

• Includes the plant breeder's kit and the study of germplasm and floral structures of self- and cross-pollinated crops.
• Covers emasculation and hybridization techniques.
• Studies male sterility systems and methods for calculating mean, range, variance, standard deviation, and heritability.
• Examines designs used in plant breeding experiments and the analysis of Randomized Block Design.
• Focuses on determining the mode of pollination in a crop and extent of natural out-crossing.
• Includes demonstrations on mass selection, pure line selection, back cross method, and male sterility mechanisms.