Thomas Fairchild was the first to create an artificial plant hybrid in 1717 between Sweet William and Carnation pink, called "Fairchild's Mule". Important developments in the pre-Mendelian era included domestication of major crops by 1000 BC, and the first description of the cell in 1665. The Mendelian era saw the rediscovery of Mendel's laws in 1900 and the development of the first commercial maize hybrid in 1917. The post-Mendelian era brought the discovery of cytoplasmic male sterility in rice in 1933 and transposable elements in 1950. Modern developments include the first transgenic plant in 1983, Bt cotton in 1987, and the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers'

1. Sub.:- Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
Course No. :- APB- 5211
Credit hours:- 3(2+1)
Lec. Topic :- History of Plant Breeding
Presented by:-
Lt. Roshan Parihar, Asstt. Professor
Deptt.of Genetics &Plant Breeding
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Raipur, C.G.
BTC College of Agriculture & Research Station
,Sarkanda, Bilaspur,(CG)-495001
(Pre-mendelian era before 1900)

2. HISTORY OF PLANT BREEDING
In broad sense history of plant breeding
can be divided into Four parts
1.Pre Mendelian era:- before 1900.
2.Mendelian era:- 1900 to 1920.
3.Post Mendelian era:- 1921 to 1950.
4.Modern era:- after 1950.

3. 1. PRE MENDELIAN ERA:-
The process of bringing a wild species under human
management is referred to as Domestication.
 9000 B.C.: First evidence of plant domestication in the
hills above the Tigris River.
 3000 B.C.: Domestication of all important food crops in
the Old World completed.
 1000 B.C.: Domestication of all important food crops in
the New World completed.
 700 B.C.: Babylonians and Assyrians hand pollinate
date palm artificially.
 1665: Robert Hooke(England): First described the cell
and known as father of cell biology.
 1694: Camerarius of Germany first to demonstrate role
of sex in plants and suggested crossing as a method to
obtain new plant types.

4. CONTD...
 1717: Thomas Fairchild: Developed first Inter
specific hybrid between sweet William and
Carnation pink Species of Dianthus popularly known
as Fair Child’s mule.
 1727: The first plant breeding company was
established in France by the Louis –De- vilmorin
and introduced the pedigree method of breeding.
 1753: C. Linnaeus published “Species planetarium”.
Binomial nomenclature of plant taxonomy officially
begins with his general list of plant species.
 1766: Joseph Koelreuter of Germany
demonstrated that hybrid offspring received
traits from both parents and were intermediate in
most traits observed and produced first
scientific hybrid using tobacco.

5. Thomas Fairchild (gardener) was the first
person who made an artificial hybrid,
Dianthus Caryophyllus barbatus, known as
"Fairchild's Mule", a cross between a
Sweet william X Carnation pink.
Dianthus barbatus
X
Dianthus caryophyllus
Dianthus caryophyllus barbatus
Sweet william Carnation pink

6.  1800-1835: Knight T.A (English): First used Artificial
Hybridization in Fruit Crops.
 1819: Shirreff P., Utilized pure line selection to develop a
new oat cultivar (Released in 1824), and a new wheat
cultivar (Released in 1832).
 Red-fife famous wheat variety sel. By farmer David fife.
 1823: Knight: Dominance, Recessiveness, and
segregation observed in peas.
 1840: John Le Couteur developed the concept of progeny
test and individual plant selection in cereals.
 1840-50: De Vilmorin (French Biologist): : progeny test in
wheat, oat, and sugar-beet breeding.
 1859-89: Darwin: Published “Origin of species”, and
noted inbreeding sterility and differences in
reciprocal crosses.
CONTD...

7. Triticale
Rye
Wheat
Standing crop of triticale
Triticale ( Triticosecale)
is hybrid of wheat
(Triticum)and rye (Secale)
first bred in lab. during the
late 19th century
in Scotland and Germany
E.Rimpu

8.  1866: Mendel G.J (Austria): published his
discoveries in “Experiments in plant hybridization”,
cumulating in the formulation of laws of
inheritance in garden pea and discovery of unit
factors (genes).
 1873: Patrick Shireff concluded that only the
variation heritable nature responded to selections, and
that there variation arose through ‘natural sports’ (=
mutation) and by ‘natural hybridization’ (recombination
during meiosis in the hybrids so produced).
 1882: A.D.Candolle write history and origin of
cultivated plants.
 1890: Rimpu E. (Sweden): First made inheritance
cross between bread wheat and rye which later on
gave birth to triticale.
CONTD...

9. Sub.:- Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
Course No. :- APB- 5211
Credit hours:- 3(2+1)
Lec. Topic :- History of Plant Breeding
Presented by:-
Lt. Roshan Parihar, Asstt. Professor
Deptt.of Genetics &Plant Breeding
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Raipur, C.G.
BTC College of Agriculture & Research Station
,Sarkanda, Bilaspur,(CG)-495001
(Mendelian era 1900-1920)

10. 2. MENDELIAN ERA:-
 1900: De Varies (Holland) Correns (Germany)
Tschermak (Austria) Rediscovered Mendel laws
of inheritance independently.
 1900: Nilson, H Ehle (Swedish): Elaborated
individual plant selection method in Sweden.
 1903: Johannsen W.L: proposed the pureline
theory that provided the genetic basis for
Individual plant selection and also coined the
terms Genotype, Phenotype and Pureline.
 1908–1909: Hardy of England and Weinberg of
Germany developed the law of equilibrium of
populations.
 1908: Devenport, C.B: First proposed

11.  1908: Shull, G.H (US) East, E.M (US) proposed
over dominance hypothesis independently working
with maize.
 1909: Shull conducted extensive research to develop
inbreds to produce hybrids use of F1 hybrids between
inbreds in corn breeding.
 1909: Nilsson-Ehle: Given the explanation of multiple
factor hypothesis for Grain colour of Wheat by using a
Pedigree breeding and Bulk breeding.
 1910: Bruce, A.B. keable, F. and Pellew, C. Elaborated
the dominance hypothesis of heterosis proposed by
davenport.
 1914: Shull, G.H: First used the term heterosis for
hybrid vigour.
CONTD...

12.  1917: Jones developed first commercial
hybrid maize and proposed dominance of
linked gene hypothesis.
 1918: Fisher,R.A. successfully applied
mendal principles to explain genetic control
of continuous variation. Laid the foundation
of scientific crop experimentation.
 1919: Hays, H.K.; Garber, R.J Gave initial
idea about recurrent selection. They first
suggested use of synthetic varieties for
commercial cultivation in maize.
CONTD...

13. Sub.:- Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
Course No. :- APB- 5211
Credit hours:- 3(2+1)
Lec. Topic :- History of Plant Breeding
Presented by:-
Lt. Roshan Parihar, Asstt. Professor
Deptt.of Genetics &Plant Breeding
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Raipur, C.G.
BTC College of Agriculture & Research Station
,Sarkanda, Bilaspur,(CG)-495001
(Post-Mendelian era 1921-1950)

14. 3. POST MENDELIAN ERA:-
 1923: Sax: linkage between quantitative and qualitative
traits in beans.
 1926: East, E.M and Mangelsdorf, A.J: First
discovered gametophytic system of self
incompatibility in Nicotiana sanderae.
 1926: Pioneer Hi-bred Corn Company established as first
Seed Company.
 1926: Vavilov, N.I: Identified 8 main centers and 3 sub
centers of crop diversity. He also developed concept of
parallel series of variation or law of homologous series of
variation.
 1927: Muller produced mutations in fruit flies using x-rays.
 1927: Karpencheko developed first intergeneric hybrid
between Radish and Cabbage in Russia.
 1928: Stadler, L.J (US): First used X-rays for
induction of mutations in barley.

15.  1933: Rhoades: Discovered cytoplasmic male
sterility in Maize.
 1934: Dustin discovered colchicines.
 1935: Vavilov, N. I. published the scientific
basis of plant breeding.
 1935: Nagaheru U. proposed the origin of tetraploid
species of Brassica using a triangle.
 1936: East, E.M: Supported over dominance
hypothesis of heterosis proposed by East and Shull in
1908.
 1939: Goulden, C.H: First suggested the use of single
seed descent method for advancing segregating
generations of self pollinating crops.
 1940: Jenkins, M.T: Described the procedure of
recurrent selection.
CONTD...

16.  1944: Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty:
Described the transforming principle and
suggested that DNA, not protein, is the
hereditary material.
 1945: Hull, F.H: Coined the terms recurrent
selection and overdominance working with maize.
 1950: Hughes and Babcock:First discovered
sporophytic system of self incompatibility in
Crepis foetida.
 1950: Barbara McClintock discovered the
Ac-Ds system of transposable elements.
CONTD...

17. Sub.:- Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
Course No. :- APB- 5211
Credit hours:- 3(2+1)
Lec. Topic :- History of Plant Breeding
Presented by:-
Lt. Roshan Parihar, Asstt. Professor
Deptt.of Genetics &Plant Breeding
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Raipur, C.G.
BTC College of Agriculture & Research Station
,Sarkanda, Bilaspur,(CG)-495001
(Modern era after1951)

18. 4. MODERN ERA:-
 1952: Jensen, N.F: First suggested the use of
multi lines in oats.
 1953: Borlaug, N.E: First outlined the
method of developing multilines in Wheat.
 1953: Watson, Crick, and Wilkins proposed a
model for Double Helical Structure of DNA.
 1956: Flor F.H.: gene for gene hypothesis
for host-parasite resistance.
 1964: Borlaug, N.E: Developed high yielding
semi dwarf varieties of wheat which resulted in
green revolution.
 1965: Graphius, J.E: First applied Single Seed
Descent (SSD) method in oats.
 1967: Sir otto frankel coined the term genetic
resource for crop improvement.
 1968: Donald: Developed the concept of crop
ideotype in wheat.

19.  1970: Patel, C.T: Developed world’s first cotton hybrid
for commercial cultivation in India.
 1970: Borlaug received Nobel Prize for the Green
Revolution
 1970: Berg, Cohen, and Boyer introduced
the Recombinant DNA technology.
 1976: Yuan Long Ping et al: Developed world’s first rice
hybrid (CMS based) for commercial cultivation in China.
 1983: Fraley et al.: Development of first
transgenic (Genetically engineered) plant tobacco
in USA.
 1987: Monsanto: Developed world’s transgenic cotton plant
in USA. BT cotton
 1991: ICRISAT: Developed world’s first pigeon pea
hybrid (ICPH 8) (GMS based) for commercial cultivation
in India. CONTD...

20.  1994: “FlavrSavr” tomato developed as first genetically
modified food produced for the market by calgene company
of California.
 1996: Glyphosate Resistant Crop® soybean introduced.
 1997: Monsanto, USA: First identified terminator gene,
which allows germination of seed for one generation only.
 1908: Monsanto, USA: Identification of traitor gene, which
responds to specific brand of fertilizers and insecticides.
 2001:Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers’ Rights
Act (PPVFRA).
 2002:Mahyco-Monsanto: Released three Bt Hybrids
(MECH12,MECH16, MECH 184).
 2004: Glyphosate Resistant Crop® wheat developed.
 2005: Govt. of India: Approved cultivation of some Bt
cotton hybrids in Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan.
CONTD...

21. Sub.:- Fundamentals of Plant Breeding
Course No. :- APB- 5211
Credit hours:- 3(2+1)
Lec. Topic :- History of Plant Breeding in India
Presented by:-
Lt. Roshan Parihar, Asstt. Professor
Deptt.of Genetics &Plant Breeding
Indira Gandhi Krishi Vishwavidyalaya
Raipur, C.G.
BTC College of Agriculture & Research Station
,Sarkanda, Bilaspur,(CG)-495001
(1871-till now)

22. INSTITUTIONAL DEVELOPMENT AND HISTORY
OF PLANT BREEDING IN INDIA
 1871: The Government of India created the Department of
Agriculture.
 1892: First scientist appointed in the Department. He was
agricultural chemist.
 1901-05: Agricultural Colleges were established at Kanpur,
Pune, Sabour, Llyalpur, Coimbatore.
 1905: The Imperial Agricultural Research Institute was
established in Pusa, Bihar.
 1934: The buildings of the institute damaged in earthquake.
 1936: Shifted to New Delhi.
 1946: Name was changed Indian Agricultural Research
Institute.

23.  1929: Imperial council of Agricultural Research was established in
New Delhi.
 1946: Name was change to Indian Council Agricultural Research.
 1921: Indian Central Cotton Committee was established Notable
researches on Breeding and cultivation of cotton. E.g.: 70 improved
varieties of cotton.
 1956: Project for intensification of regional research on cotton,
oilseeds and millets (PIRRCOM) was initiated to intensify research
on these crops located at 17 Different centres throughout the
country.
 1957: All India Coordinated maize improvement project was started
with objective of exploiting heterosis.
 1960: First Agricultural University established at Pantnagar,
Nainital, U.P.
 1961: The first hybrid maize varieties released by the project. ICAR
initiated Coordinated projects for improvement of the other crops.

24.  1961: First Maize hybrid was released (Ganga1,
Ganga101, Deccan and Ranjit).
 1964: First Sorghum Hybrid (CSH-1) was released.
 1965: First Bajra hybrid (HB-1) was released.
 1971: One of the pioneer centre for research in India TNAU
was established.
 1991: First pigeon pea hybrid (ICPH-8) was released from
ICRISAT(Six Mandate Crop are Pearl millet, Sorghum,
Pigeon pea, Chickpea, Finger millet, Groundnut),
Hyderabad.

25. Pictures Scientists Contributions
T.S.
Venkatraman
An eminent sugarcane breeder, he
transferred thick stem and high sugar
contents from tropical noble cane
(Saccharum officinanum) to North Indian
Canes (Saccharum barberi). This process
is known as Noblization of sugarcane.
B.P.Pal
An eminent Wheat breeder, developed
superior disease resistant varieties of
wheat and also first director general of
ICAR.
M.S.
Swaminathan
Responsible for green revolution in India,
developed high yielding dwarf varieties of
Wheat and Rice.
SOME INDIAN PLANT BREEDER

26. Pictures Scientists Contributions
Pic. not available
Pushkarnath A Famous potato breeder who developed
several high yielding varieties of potato. He
was the Director of CPRI, Shimala.
N.G.P.Rao An eminent sorghum breeder who developed
the world’s first hybrid of sorghum(CSH-1).
K. Ramaiah
A renowned rice breeder. He developed several
high yielding varieties of rice when he was the
Director of CRRI, Cuttack.
K.Athwal
Famous pearlmillet breeder. He worked in PAU,
Ludhiana and developed several superior
varieties

27. Pictures Scientists Contributions
Boshi sen
An eminent maize breeder. He Developed
several varieties of maize for Hill region of
Uttranchal
Dharampal
singh
An eminent oil-seed breeder. He released
several varieties of oil-seeds(Rapeseed and
Mustard) from Kanpur.
C.T.Patel Famous cotton breeder who developed world’s
first cotton hybrid(H-4) in 1970 known as
FATHER of Hybrid Cotton.
V
Santhanam
Suvin was created by V Santhanam, a
retired cotton breeder from Coimbatore's Tamil
Nadu Agriculture University. He created Suvin
by crossing Egyptian cotton variety “Sujata”
with “St Vincent” from the West Indies