What is plant breeding ? Describe the various steps involved in classical breeding of plants.
Answers
Answer:
Plant breeding is a method of altering the genetic pattern of plants to increase their value and utility for human welfare. It is a purposeful manipulation of plants to create desired plant types that are better suited for cultivation, give better yield and are disease resistant.
Explanation:
The main steps of the plant breeding program are as follows-
1. Collection of Variability
Wild varieties species and relatives of the cultivated species having desired traits should be collected and preserved. The entire collection having all the diverse alleles for all genes in a given crop is called germplasm collection. Germplasm conservation can be done following ways-
In situ conservation – It can be done with the help of forests and Natural Reserves.
Ex situ conservation- it is done through botanical gardens, seed banks.
2. Evaluation and Selection of Parents
The germplasm collected is evaluated to identify the plants with desirable characters. It is made sure that only the pure lines are selected. The selected plants are multiplied and used in the process of hybridization.
3. Hybridization
The Pollen Grain from one desired parent plant selected as a male parent is collected and dusted over another plant which is considered as the female parent.
4. Selection and Testing of Superior Recombinants
Progeny obtained after crossing are evaluated for the desired combination of characters.
These are self-pollinated for several generations till there is a state of uniformity so that the characters will not segregate further.
5. Testing Release and Commercialization of New Cultivars
The selected plants are evaluated by growing the plants in an experimental field and the performance is recorded. This is done for at least 3 growing Seasons at different locations in the country.
Answer:
Plant breeding is defined as the process of changing select traits in order to bring about desired characteristics. It is primarily used for improving the nutritional value of plants.Following are the steps observed in plant breeding:
- Accumulation of genetic variability
- Germplasm evaluation & parent selection
- Cross hybridisation of selected parents
- Choosing superior hybrids
- Testing viability of new cultivars