Bihar agricultural University sabour bhagalpur Department of plant breeding

1. HISTORICAL DEVELOPMENT OF
PLANT BREEDING
Dr Anand Kumar
Department of Plant Breeding
Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour
(Bhagalpur))

2. Definition of Plant Breeding
 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.
 Plant breeding is the art and science of improving the
heredity of plants for the benefit of mankind.
 Plant breeding deals with the genetic improvement
of crop plants also known as science of crop
improvement.
 Plant breeding is the current phase of crop evolution-(
N. W. Simmonds-1979)

3. Aim of Plant Breeding
• Plant breeding aims to improve
the characteristics of plants so
that they become more
desirable agronomic ally and
economically.

4. Objectives
• Higher yield
• Improved quality
• Abiotic resistance and Biotic resistance
• Change in maturity Duration / Earliness
• Determinate Growth
• Dormancy
• Desirable Agronomic Characteristics
• Elimination of Toxic Substances: e.g. neurotoxin in Khesari
(Lathyruys sativus)
• Non-shattering characteristics
• Synchronous Maturity
• Photo and Thermo insensitivity
• Wider adaptability
• Varieties for New Seasons

5. Terms coined by Scientist
Term Scientist
Pureline Theory (Genetic basis of
Pureline)
W.L. Johannsen (1903) in
French bean (P. vulgaris)
Backcross method Harlan and Pope
Single Seed Descent Method Goulden
Centres of diversity, Law of
homologus series of variation
N.I. Vavilov (1918)
Gene, Genotype and Phenotype Johannsen
Bulk method Nilsson & Ehle
Heterosis G.H. Shull (1914)
Double cross scheme D.F. Jones (1918)
Dominance hypothesis C.B. Davenport (1908)
Overdominance hypothesis E.M. East and G.H. Shull (19

6. Terms coined by Scientist
Term Scientist
NU’S Triangle (Explained the origin of
tetraploid species of Brassica
Nagaharu, U.
Ear to Row selection Hopkins (1908)
Modified Ear to Row Lonnquist (1964)
Gene for Gene hypothesis Flor (1956) on Linseed rust
(Malampsora lini)
Components of genetic variance R.A. Fisher (1918)
Father of hybrid rice Yuan Loung Ping
Mutation Hugo de Vries
First artificial hybrid Thomas Fairchild (1717)
Triticale Rimpau
Raphano brassica Karpenchenko

7. Scientific contributions of eminent scientists
Scientist Contribution
N.E. Borloug Father of Green Revolution
M.S. Swaminathan Father of Green Revolution in India, developed high yielding
varieties of Wheat and Rice
T.S. Venkatraman An eminent sugarcane breeder, he transferred thick stem and
high sugar contents from tropical noble cane to North Indian
Canes. This process is known as noblization of sugarcane.
B.P. Pal An eminent Wheat breeder developed superior disease
resistant N.P. varieties of wheat
C.T. Patel Famous cotton breeder who developed world’s first cotton
hybrid “H-4” in 1970
Pushkarnath Potato Breeder
D.S. Athwal Famous pearlmillet breeder
Dharampal Singh An eminent oil- seed breeder
Bosisen An eminent maize breeder

8. • Mendal discovered the principles of heredity in 1865
working with garden pea
• Mendel’s results were rediscovered independently
by 3 workers viz. de Vries (Holland), Correns
(Germany) and Tschermak (Austria)
• The semi-dwarf varieties of wheat was first
developed by N.E. Borlaug
• N.E. Borlaug is known as father of Green revolution
• Norin 10 is the source of dwarfing gene in wheat
• M.S. Swaminathan is known as father of Indian
green revolution
• Dee-geo-woo-gen is the dwarfing gene in rice

9. Activities in Plant Breeding

10. Plant Introduction
Primary Introduction Secondary Introduction
When the introduced variety is well
adapted to the new environment, it
is released for commercial
cultivation without any alteration in
the original genotype; this is known
as primary introduction
The introduced variety may be
subjected to isolate a superior
variety. Alternatively, it may be
hybridized with local varieties to
transfer one or few characters from
this variety to the local ones. Such
an introduction constitutes
secondary introduction
Introduction of semi-dwarf wheat
varieties, Sonora 64, Lerma Rojo
and semi-dwarf rice varieties, T.N.
1, IR 8, IR 36
Kalyansona and Sonalika wheat
varieties

11. Domestication
• Domestication is the process of bringing a
wild species under human management.

12. Germplasm
• Germplasm of a crop species may be defined as the
sum total of hereditary materials, i.e alleles of
various genes present in a crop species and its wild
relatives.
• Germplasm consist of following five types of
materials:
 Land Races
 Obsolete varieties
 Varieties in cultivation
 Advanced breeding lines
 Wild forms & wild relatives