DEPARTMENT OF GENETICS AND PLANT BREEDING
1. Course No. : GBPR 211
2. Course Title : Principles of Plant Breeding
3. Credit Hours : 3 (2+1)
4. General Objective : To impart knowledge to the students on the
principles and procedures of plant breeding in
self and cross pollinated crops to develop the
high yielding varieties / hybrids
5. Specific Objectives
Theory
By the end of the course, the students will be able to
i. learn breeding procedures in self and cross pollinated crops
ii. understand exploitation of heterosis utilizing male sterility and other methods
iii. know about the various population improvement programmes
iv. study about the fundamentals of mutation, polyploidy and wide hybridization and
their role in crop improvement
Theory Lecture Outlines
1. Definition, aim, objectives and scope of plant breeding
2. History and development of plant breeding – scientific contributions of eminent scientists –
landmarks in plant breeding
3. Modes of reproduction – asexual reproduction (vegetative reproduction and apomixis) and sexual
reproduction – their classification and significance in plant breeding
4. Modes of pollination – classification of crop species on the basis of mode of pollination – self-
pollination – mechanisms promoting self -pollination – genetic consequences of self-pollination –
cross-pollination – mechanisms promoting cross -pollination – genetic consequences of cross-
pollination – – often cross-pollinated crops
5. Method of plant breeding – classification of plant breeding methods – methods of breeding for
self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and asexually propagated species – brief account of breeding
methods
6. Plant introduction – primary introduction and secondary introduction – history of plant
introduction – plant introduction agencies in India – National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
(NBPGR) and its activity – procedure of plant introduction – purpose of plant introduction –
merits and demerits of plant introduction – germplasm collections – genetic erosion – gene
sanctuaries
7. Selection – natural and artificial selection – basic principles of selection – basic characteristics
and requirements of selection – selection intensity – selection differential – heritability – genetic
advance
1
,8. Mass selection – procedure for evolving a va riety by mass selection – modification of mass
selection – merits, demerits and achievements
9. Johannsen’s pure line theory and its concepts and significance – origin of variation in pure lines –
characters of pure lines – progeny test
10. Genetic basis of pure line selection – general procedure for evolving a variety by pure line
selection – merits, demerits and achievements – comparison between mass and pure line
selection
11. Biometrics – definition – qualitative and quantitative characters – role of environment in
quantitative inheritance – biometrical techniques in plant breeding – components of genetic
variation i.e. additive, dominance and epistatic variance – differences between additive and
dominance variance
12. Hybridization – aims and objectives – types of hybridization – pre-requisites for hybridization –
procedure / steps involved in hybridization
13. Handling of segregating generations – pedigree method – procedure – modifications of pedigree
method – merits, demerits and achievements
14. Handling of segregating generations – bulk method – procedure – merits, demerits and
achievements of bulk method – comparison between pedigree and bulk method – single seed
descent method
15. Handling of segregating generations – backcross method of breeding – its requirements and
applications – procedure for transfer of single dominant gene and procedure for transfer of single
recessive gene
16. Handling of segregating generations – backcross method – applications of back cross method –
transfer of a dominant gene – transfer of a recessive gene – transfer of two or more characters into
a single recurrent parent (simultaneous transfer, stepwise transfer and simultaneous but separate
transfer) – merits, demerits and achievements – comparison between pedigree and backcross
method; Multiline variety – definition – characteristics of a good multilane – development of
multilane varieties – achievements
17. Self-incompatibility – classification – heteromorphic, homomorphic, gametophytic and
sporophytic sys tems of incompatibility – mechanisms of self-incompatibility
18. Self-incompatibility – relevance of self-incompatibility – methods to over come self-
incompatibility – advantages and disadvantages – utilization in crop improvement
19. Male sterility – different types – genetic, cytoplasmic and cytoplasmic genetic male sterility –
inheritance and maintenance
20. Male sterility – utilization of male sterile lines in hybrid seed production – their limitations,
advantages and disadvantages
21. Hardy Weinberg Law – factors affecting equilibrium frequencies in random mating populations
22. Heterosis – heterosis and hybrid vigour – luxuriance – heterobeltiosis – brief history – heterosis in
cross- pollinated and self-pollinated species – manifestations of heterosis
23. Heterosis – genetic bases of heterosis – dominance, over dominance and epistasis hypotheses –
objections and their explanations – comparison between dominance and overdomiance
2
, hypotheses – physiological bases of heterosis – commercial utilization
24. Inbreeding depression – brief history – effects of inbreeding – degrees of inbreeding depression –
procedure for development of inbred lines and their evaluation
25. Exploitation of heterosis – history of hybrid varieties – important steps in production of single and
double cross hybrids – brief idea of hybrids in maize, bajra, sunflower, rice and forage crops
26. Synthetics and composites – production procedures – merits, demerits and achievements – factors
determining the performance of synthetic varieties – comparison between synthetics and
composites
27. Population improvement – selection without progeny testing – selection with progeny testing –
progeny selection – merits and demerits of progeny selection – line breeding – achievements
28. Recurrent selection – different types – detailed procedure of simple recurrent selection and brief
description of other recurrent selection methods – conclusion on the efficiency of different
selection schemes
29. Methods of breeding for vegetatively propagated crops – clone – characteristics of asexually
propagated crops – characteristics of clones – importance of a clone – sources of clonal selection
– procedure – advantages and disadvantages – problems in breeding asexually propagated crops –
genetic variation within a clone – clonal degeneration – achievements – comparison among
clones, purelines and inbreds
30. Mutation breeding – spontaneous and induced mutations – characteristic features of mutations –
procedure of mutation breeding – applications – advantages, limitations and achievements
31. Polyploidy – autopolyploids – origin and production – morphological and cytological features of
autopolyploids – applications of autopolyploidy in crop improvement – limitations of
autopolyploidy – segregation in autotetraploids – allopolyploidy – morphological and cytological
features of allopolyploids – applications of allopolyploidy in crop improvement – limitations of
allopolyploidy
32. Wide hybridization – history – objectives – barriers to the production of distant hybrids –
techniques for production of distant hybrids – applications of wide hybridization in crop
improvement – sterility in distant hybrids – cytogenetic, genetic and cytoplasmic bases of sterility
– limitations and achievements
References
Allard, R.W. 1960. Principles of Plant Breeding. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Phundan Singh, 2006. Essentials of Plant Breeding . Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
Poehlman, J.M. and Borthakur, D. 1995. Breeding Asian Field Crops. Oxford and IB H
Publishing Co., New Delhi.
Sharma, J.R. 1994. Principles and Practice of Plant Breeding. Tata McGraw Hill,
Publishing Company Ltd., New Delhi.
Singh, B.D. 2006. Plant Breeding: Principles and Methods. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
3
, Lecture No: 1
Definition, Aim, Objectives and Scope of Plant Breeding
Definition :
Plant breeding can be defined as an art, a science, and technology of improving the
genetic make up of plants in relation to their economic use for the man kind.
or
Plant breeding is the art and science of improving the heredity of plants for the benefit
of mankind.
or
Plant breeding deals with the genetic improvement of crop plants also known as
science of crop improvement.
or
Science of changing and improving the heredity of plants
Aim :
Plant breeding aims to improve the characteristics of plants so that they become more
desirable agronomically and economically. The specific objectives may vary greatly
depending on the crop under consideration.
Objectives of Plant Breeding :
1. Higher yield : The ultimate aim of plant breeding is to improve the yield of
economic produce. It may be grain yield, fodder yield, fibre yield, tuber yield, cane
yield or oil yield depending upon the crop species. Improvement in yield can be
achieved either by evolving high yielding varieties or hybrids.
2. Improved quality: Quality of produce is another important objective in plant
breeding. The quality characters vary from crop to crop. Eg. grain size, colour,
milling and backing quality in wheat. Cooking quality in rice, malting quality in
barley, size, colour and size of fruits, nutritive and keeping quality in vegetables,
protein content in pulses, oil content in oilseeds, fibre length, strength and fineness in
cotton.
4
1. Course No. : GBPR 211
2. Course Title : Principles of Plant Breeding
3. Credit Hours : 3 (2+1)
4. General Objective : To impart knowledge to the students on the
principles and procedures of plant breeding in
self and cross pollinated crops to develop the
high yielding varieties / hybrids
5. Specific Objectives
Theory
By the end of the course, the students will be able to
i. learn breeding procedures in self and cross pollinated crops
ii. understand exploitation of heterosis utilizing male sterility and other methods
iii. know about the various population improvement programmes
iv. study about the fundamentals of mutation, polyploidy and wide hybridization and
their role in crop improvement
Theory Lecture Outlines
1. Definition, aim, objectives and scope of plant breeding
2. History and development of plant breeding – scientific contributions of eminent scientists –
landmarks in plant breeding
3. Modes of reproduction – asexual reproduction (vegetative reproduction and apomixis) and sexual
reproduction – their classification and significance in plant breeding
4. Modes of pollination – classification of crop species on the basis of mode of pollination – self-
pollination – mechanisms promoting self -pollination – genetic consequences of self-pollination –
cross-pollination – mechanisms promoting cross -pollination – genetic consequences of cross-
pollination – – often cross-pollinated crops
5. Method of plant breeding – classification of plant breeding methods – methods of breeding for
self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and asexually propagated species – brief account of breeding
methods
6. Plant introduction – primary introduction and secondary introduction – history of plant
introduction – plant introduction agencies in India – National Bureau of Plant Genetic Resources
(NBPGR) and its activity – procedure of plant introduction – purpose of plant introduction –
merits and demerits of plant introduction – germplasm collections – genetic erosion – gene
sanctuaries
7. Selection – natural and artificial selection – basic principles of selection – basic characteristics
and requirements of selection – selection intensity – selection differential – heritability – genetic
advance
1
,8. Mass selection – procedure for evolving a va riety by mass selection – modification of mass
selection – merits, demerits and achievements
9. Johannsen’s pure line theory and its concepts and significance – origin of variation in pure lines –
characters of pure lines – progeny test
10. Genetic basis of pure line selection – general procedure for evolving a variety by pure line
selection – merits, demerits and achievements – comparison between mass and pure line
selection
11. Biometrics – definition – qualitative and quantitative characters – role of environment in
quantitative inheritance – biometrical techniques in plant breeding – components of genetic
variation i.e. additive, dominance and epistatic variance – differences between additive and
dominance variance
12. Hybridization – aims and objectives – types of hybridization – pre-requisites for hybridization –
procedure / steps involved in hybridization
13. Handling of segregating generations – pedigree method – procedure – modifications of pedigree
method – merits, demerits and achievements
14. Handling of segregating generations – bulk method – procedure – merits, demerits and
achievements of bulk method – comparison between pedigree and bulk method – single seed
descent method
15. Handling of segregating generations – backcross method of breeding – its requirements and
applications – procedure for transfer of single dominant gene and procedure for transfer of single
recessive gene
16. Handling of segregating generations – backcross method – applications of back cross method –
transfer of a dominant gene – transfer of a recessive gene – transfer of two or more characters into
a single recurrent parent (simultaneous transfer, stepwise transfer and simultaneous but separate
transfer) – merits, demerits and achievements – comparison between pedigree and backcross
method; Multiline variety – definition – characteristics of a good multilane – development of
multilane varieties – achievements
17. Self-incompatibility – classification – heteromorphic, homomorphic, gametophytic and
sporophytic sys tems of incompatibility – mechanisms of self-incompatibility
18. Self-incompatibility – relevance of self-incompatibility – methods to over come self-
incompatibility – advantages and disadvantages – utilization in crop improvement
19. Male sterility – different types – genetic, cytoplasmic and cytoplasmic genetic male sterility –
inheritance and maintenance
20. Male sterility – utilization of male sterile lines in hybrid seed production – their limitations,
advantages and disadvantages
21. Hardy Weinberg Law – factors affecting equilibrium frequencies in random mating populations
22. Heterosis – heterosis and hybrid vigour – luxuriance – heterobeltiosis – brief history – heterosis in
cross- pollinated and self-pollinated species – manifestations of heterosis
23. Heterosis – genetic bases of heterosis – dominance, over dominance and epistasis hypotheses –
objections and their explanations – comparison between dominance and overdomiance
2
, hypotheses – physiological bases of heterosis – commercial utilization
24. Inbreeding depression – brief history – effects of inbreeding – degrees of inbreeding depression –
procedure for development of inbred lines and their evaluation
25. Exploitation of heterosis – history of hybrid varieties – important steps in production of single and
double cross hybrids – brief idea of hybrids in maize, bajra, sunflower, rice and forage crops
26. Synthetics and composites – production procedures – merits, demerits and achievements – factors
determining the performance of synthetic varieties – comparison between synthetics and
composites
27. Population improvement – selection without progeny testing – selection with progeny testing –
progeny selection – merits and demerits of progeny selection – line breeding – achievements
28. Recurrent selection – different types – detailed procedure of simple recurrent selection and brief
description of other recurrent selection methods – conclusion on the efficiency of different
selection schemes
29. Methods of breeding for vegetatively propagated crops – clone – characteristics of asexually
propagated crops – characteristics of clones – importance of a clone – sources of clonal selection
– procedure – advantages and disadvantages – problems in breeding asexually propagated crops –
genetic variation within a clone – clonal degeneration – achievements – comparison among
clones, purelines and inbreds
30. Mutation breeding – spontaneous and induced mutations – characteristic features of mutations –
procedure of mutation breeding – applications – advantages, limitations and achievements
31. Polyploidy – autopolyploids – origin and production – morphological and cytological features of
autopolyploids – applications of autopolyploidy in crop improvement – limitations of
autopolyploidy – segregation in autotetraploids – allopolyploidy – morphological and cytological
features of allopolyploids – applications of allopolyploidy in crop improvement – limitations of
allopolyploidy
32. Wide hybridization – history – objectives – barriers to the production of distant hybrids –
techniques for production of distant hybrids – applications of wide hybridization in crop
improvement – sterility in distant hybrids – cytogenetic, genetic and cytoplasmic bases of sterility
– limitations and achievements
References
Allard, R.W. 1960. Principles of Plant Breeding. John Wiley and Sons, New York.
Phundan Singh, 2006. Essentials of Plant Breeding . Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
Poehlman, J.M. and Borthakur, D. 1995. Breeding Asian Field Crops. Oxford and IB H
Publishing Co., New Delhi.
Sharma, J.R. 1994. Principles and Practice of Plant Breeding. Tata McGraw Hill,
Publishing Company Ltd., New Delhi.
Singh, B.D. 2006. Plant Breeding: Principles and Methods. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi.
3
, Lecture No: 1
Definition, Aim, Objectives and Scope of Plant Breeding
Definition :
Plant breeding can be defined as an art, a science, and technology of improving the
genetic make up of plants in relation to their economic use for the man kind.
or
Plant breeding is the art and science of improving the heredity of plants for the benefit
of mankind.
or
Plant breeding deals with the genetic improvement of crop plants also known as
science of crop improvement.
or
Science of changing and improving the heredity of plants
Aim :
Plant breeding aims to improve the characteristics of plants so that they become more
desirable agronomically and economically. The specific objectives may vary greatly
depending on the crop under consideration.
Objectives of Plant Breeding :
1. Higher yield : The ultimate aim of plant breeding is to improve the yield of
economic produce. It may be grain yield, fodder yield, fibre yield, tuber yield, cane
yield or oil yield depending upon the crop species. Improvement in yield can be
achieved either by evolving high yielding varieties or hybrids.
2. Improved quality: Quality of produce is another important objective in plant
breeding. The quality characters vary from crop to crop. Eg. grain size, colour,
milling and backing quality in wheat. Cooking quality in rice, malting quality in
barley, size, colour and size of fruits, nutritive and keeping quality in vegetables,
protein content in pulses, oil content in oilseeds, fibre length, strength and fineness in
cotton.
4
