Organic plant breeding aims to develop crop varieties without using chemicals. It focuses on creating varieties that are well-adapted to organic farming systems and resistant to biotic and abiotic stresses without the use of pesticides. Organic varieties are developed and tested exclusively under organic conditions. The objectives of organic plant breeding include improving competitiveness against weeds, quality over yield, biodiversity, and resistance to stresses. Common breeding techniques include selection, hybridization and plant introduction, but GMOs, radiation, and synthetic chemicals are prohibited.

1. ORGANIC PLANT BREEDING(OPB)
MANJUNATHA, G.A
DEPT OF PLANT BREEDING AND GENETICS

2.  Looking to the adverse effect of chemicals (insecticides,
pesticides, fungicides, weedicides, chemical fertilizers) on
human health, soil health and environment, OPB is
gaining increased significance all over the world.

3. ORGANIC PLANT BREEDING
 Organic plant breeding refers to development of
new crop cultivars without the use of any
chemicals.

4. IMPORTANT POINTS IN OPB
 Organic seed- The seed that has been multiplied
under organic conditions at least for one
generation.
 Organic varieties- Those cultivars that originate
from organic plant breeding techniques.
 In the OPB, chemicals are not used neither in the
development of varieties or in their testing.

5.  The entire evaluation of breeding material is
carried out under organic conditions.
 In the OPB higher priority is given to quality of
the product than yield.
 Organic varieties are produced under certified
organic plant breeding programmes.

6.  Organic cultivation is also known as clean cultivation,
natural cultivation, green cultivation or eco-friendly
cultivation.
 The organic produce of two types
Organic certified A and
Organic certified B
1.Organic A – The crop which is grown after three years
without the use of prohibited chemicals.
2.Organic B _ The crop which is produced in the first and
second year without use of chemicals.

7. DIFF B/N ORGANIC VARIETIES AND ORGANIC
SEED
Organic varieties Organic seed
 Originate from OPB.
 Tested always under
organic conditions.
 Number of such
varieties is limited.
 Originate from organic
or non organic plant
breeding.
 Multiplied at least for
one generation under
organic condition.
 Such seed is very
common.

8. OPB OBJECTIVES
 Competitiveness with weeds- It is considered important for
organic varieties where weedicides are not allowed.
 Plant stature- Generally, varieties for organic use tend to be
taller than those developed for non-organic production.
 In OPB higher priority is given to quality than productivity or
yield.
 In OPB higher emphasis is given to maintain biodiversity in
the variety.
 Higher degree of resistance to biotic stress because
insecticides/pesticides are not allowed.

9. COMMON OBJECTIVES
 Photo and thermo insensitivity.
 Freedom from toxic substances.
 Earliness so that a variety can well into multiple
cropping system.
 Resistance to abiotic stress such as drought, soil
salinity etc.
 Resistance to lodging.
 Non shattering habit in legumes.
 Wider adaptability and stability in production.
 High photosynthetic and nutrient uptake efficiency.

10. BREEDING TECHNIQUES
 The main objective of OPB is to develop crop cultivars that
enhance productivity and adaptability under organic
farming.
 1) Plant introduction- Any exotic variety developed without
the use of any chemicals.
 2) Selection
 3) Hybridization
 4) Biotechnology- The MAS can be permitted if GMOs and
radiations are not involved in marker production.

11. TECHNIQUES NOT PERMITTED
 Genetic modification or GMOs.
 Cytoplasmic male sterility based hybrids without restorer
genes.
 Somatic hybridization or protoplast fusion.
 Radiated mentor pollen for mutation induction.
 Mutation induction with radiations or chemical
substances.

12. CHEMICALS PROHIBITED
 In OPB as well as organic farming use of
chemicals is prohibited. Which include,
 Inorganic fertilizers
 Insecticides
 Fungicides
 Herbicides
 Growth regulators
 Defoliators
 Seed treatment with chemicals
 Treatment with irradiations ( X-rays, gamma rays
etc)

13. MATERIALS ALLOWED
 Organic manures (FYM, compost, green manure,
cakes etc)
 Fish meal
 Leather meal
 Cotton seed meal
 Gypsum
 Botanical pesticides (Neem, Datura, Ipomea,
tobacco, chillies)
 Bioagents (parasites, predators etc,)

14. DIFF B/N OB AND NOB
PARTICULARS ORGANIC BREEDING NON-ORGANIC
BREEDING
Breeding methods used Which do not involve
radiations
All breeding methods
Major emphasis is on Quality Yield
Competitiveness with
weeds
High Low
Uniformity of produce Low high
Adaptation High Low
Use of chemicals Not permitted Permitted
Use of radiations Not permitted Permitted

15. Insect control Genetic resistance,
use of botanicals and
bio-agents
Mainly by insecticides
Disease control By genetic resistance By fungicides and
pesticides
Weed control By mechanical means Mainly by weedicides
Nutrient supply By organic manures Mainly by inorganic
fertilizers
Type of cultivation Sustainable Non-sustainable
Cost of cultivation Low High
Environmental pollution Nil Very high

16. ADVANTAGES OF OPB
 It is used for developing cultivars and hybrids suitable for
organic farming. The use of organic varieties helps in
reducing the cost of cultivation by avoiding the use of
various agrochemicals.
 Use of organic varieties is ecofriendly. It permits
multiplication of natural enemies (parasites and predators)
of harmful insects resulting in effective biological control.
 In OPB more emphasis is given on improvement of quality
rather than yield.

17.  In OPB use of chemicals is prohibited. As a result there is
no environmental pollution. This has favourable effect on
soil health, human health and animal health.
 The insecticides will not reach the food chain.
 The beneficial soil microflora will increase and ground
water and rain water will be free from contamination of
chemicals.
 Use of organic varieties will lead to sustainable
agriculture. It will not deplete the resources. In other
words it will promote judicious use of resources.

18.  It promotes use of biological inputs such as organic
manures( FYM, compost, green manure, cakes etc.),
botanical pesticides (Neem, Datura, Ipomea, tobacco,
Calatropis, chillies etc.) which do not have any adverse
effect on the ecosystem.

19. DISADVANTAGES
 Induced mutation play important role in developing new
varieties and creating extra variability for selection.
Banning use of this technique will have adverse effect on
progress of OPB.
 Protoplast fusion technique play important role in gene
transformation. Banning of this technique will act as a
barrier in somatic hybridization.
 GMO’s are used to solve those problems that can’t be
resolved by conventional breeding methods. The ban on
the use of GMO will have adverse effect in solving such
problems.

20.  Tissue culture techniques such as embryo culture,
ovary culture, anther culture etc. lead to extra
variation which is used for selection of suitable
material. Bann on these techniques will leads to
prolong development of organic varieties.
 The well known chemical colchicine is used for
making interspecific hybrids fertile through
chromosomal doubling. Banning the use of
colchicine will have adverse effect on interspecific
hybridization.
 Banning of above useful techniques/chemicals will
prolong the period of developing organic varieties.

21.  The breeding efficiency will go down and breeding will be
more expensive.
 Restriction on the exchange of materials between
traditional and organic breeding will have adverse effect
in the progress of OPB.

22. THANK U…….