GPB 3.3 Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
- Historical development, concept, nature and role of plant breeding, major achievements; Modes of reproduction and apomixes; Self- incompatibility and male sterility- genetic consequences and cultivar options. Domestication, acclimatization, introduction; Centre of origin/diversity, Genetic basis and breeding methods in self- pollinated crops- mass selection and pure line selection, hybridization techniques and handling of segregating population (pedigree, bulk, SSD and back cross methods); Multiline concept; Genetic basis and methods of breeding cross-pollinated crops; Heterosis and inbreeding depression; Development of inbred lines and hybrids, composite and synthetic varieties; Breeding methods in asexually propagated crops-clonal selection and hybridization; Wide hybridization and pre-breeding; Polyploidy in relation to plant breeding; Mutation breeding-methods and uses; Breeding for important biotic and abiotic stresses.