This is a graduate level course of plant breeding and genetics. This course focuses on the strategies, objectives and history of plant breeding, genetic variation and its exploitation, development of double haploids, heteroploidy, mutation breeding, breeding self-pollinated crops, breeding cross pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops, ideotype breeding, use of heterosis and its theories. In this course components of genetic variation, estimates of heritability and genetics advance are included to understand the expected gain in next generation. Genetic engineering and tissue culture techniques are included in this course to familiar the students with latest techniques used in plant breeding. Visits of different research institutes/organizations/universities are the important part of course to aware the students about plant research activities being done in these organizations. At the end of the course students will be able to understand various breeding methods in self and cross-pollinated crops, male sterility, self-incompatibility, mutation breeding, data recording from field and its interpretation.This is a graduate level course of plant breeding and genetics. This course focuses on the strategies, objectives and history of plant breeding, genetic variation and its exploitation, development of double haploids, heteroploidy, mutation breeding, breeding self-pollinated crops, breeding cross pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops, ideotype breeding, use of heterosis and its theories. In this course components of genetic variation, estimates of heritability and genetics advance are included to understand the expected gain in next generation. Genetic engineering and tissue culture techniques are included in this course to familiar the students with latest techniques used in plant breeding. Visits of different research institutes/organizations/universities are the important part of course to aware the students about plant research activities being done in these organizations. At the end of the course students will be able to understand various breeding methods in self and cross-pollinated crops, male sterility, self-incompatibility, mutation breeding, data recording from field and its interpretation.

Contents

Theory

1. History, achievements, objectives, and strategies of plant breeding.
2. Genetic variability: basis of plant breeding, components of variability.
3. Threshold characters: penetrance and expressivity.
4. Breeding methods in sexually (self and cross-pollinated) and asexually propagated crops.
5. Development of doubled haploids.
6. Mutation breeding.
7. Wide hybridization.
8. Estimation of heritability.
9. Heterosis: genetic basis and exploitation.
10. Male sterility and self-incompatibility.
11. Breeding crops for biotic and abiotic stresses.
12. Ideotype breeding and its limitations.
13.  Role of biotechnology in plant breeding.

Practical

1. Selfing and crossing techniques in field crops.
2. Data recording using descriptors, its analysis and interpretation.
3. Assessment of variability in crops for biotic and abiotic stresses.
4. Visits to field and research institutes.

Recommended Texts

1. Singh, B.D. (2007). Plant Breeding: Principles and Methods. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi, India.
2. Sleper, D.A. & Poehlman, J.M.  (2006). Breeding Field Crops. (5thed.) Iowa State University Press Ames, USA.

Suggested Readings

1. Singh, P. (2004). Essentials of Plant Breeding. Kalyani Publishers, New Delhi, India.
2. Chahal, G.S. & Gosal, S.S. ( 2002). Principles and Procedures of Plant Breeding: Biotechnological and Conventional Approaches. Alpha Science International Ltd., Oxford, UK.
3. Acquaah, G.( 2009). Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding. John Wiley & Sons, UK.