Presentation referenced in the Ball Seed STEM Podcast: Insider Tips for Greenhouse Pros. Plant Breeding: From Concept to Commercial. (Photos not always from author - for reference only - not to be published.)

1. PLANT BREEDING:
FROM CONCEPT TO COMMERCIAL
Presented by
Laura Masor, PhD
Plant Breeder
Ball FloraPlant

2. Introduction
• General breeding strategy
– From conception to commercialization
– Breeding scenarios
– Breeder math
NOTE: INFORMATION AND PHOTOS ARE NOT ALL FROMTHE
AUTHOR AND INFORMATION INCLUDED SHOULD NOT BE
DUPLICATED AND SHARED. FOR EDUCATIONAL USE ONLY.

3. Conceptualization to commercialization-
pipeline overview
Conceptualization
Research and
germplasm
acquisition
Breeding Trialing Introduction

4. Conceptualization
• Initial spark of genius
– Breeder design or curiosity
• I want to create a large red flowered cotton
• What would happen if I crossed a cranberry and a blueberry?
– Or market influence
• That Night Sky petunia sure is great, we need something similar
• Calibrachoa flowers are getting bigger, I need to be able to sell a competitive product

5. For new crops extensive research needs to be
done
• Questions to be answered
– Is it possible for this to be a commercial
product?
• Is it needed in the market?
• Can the grower easily produce it?
• Should this be a seed or veg product, or both?
– How do I breed it?
• What is the mating scheme?
– Inbred or outcrossing
• What’s the reproductive cycle?
• Will aid from Ball Helix be needed?*
Research

6. Germplasm acquisition
Sources of germplasm
• USDA-Germplasm Resources Information Network
• Catalogs/Online
• Wild species collection

7. Germplasm
• Rule #1 Must have genetic variation in germplasm for progress
– In cultivated crops there is sufficient variation in the germplasm for progress
– In newer crops variation must be found or created
• Variation needed in any trait to be bred for
– Color
– Habit
– Flower size
– Earliness
– Disease/pest resistance
– Hardiness

8. Lets start breeding!
Breeding scenario
– Goal- breed a large red flowered cotton
• Red Hibiscus sp x Gossypium sp
– Background research- Done!
– Germplasm- Got it!

9. Breeding strategy (simplified)
F1 hybrid
Homogenous population
Red dominant over white
Flower size is additive
While petal color may have been
achieved in first cross, other traits such
as flower size or habit or may have
been lost, so it may be necessary to
inbreed or perform more crosses to
achieve desired results
Large flower red Hibiscus Small flower white cotton
F2 population
R:W- 3:1
Flower size normal distribution

10. Breeding strategy (more realistic)
No seed set
??
??
Potential reasons for failed cross
• Unpairing of chromosomes due to
intergeneric (wide) cross
• Unsuccessful pollination due to
pollen tube growth
• Inviability of embryo

11. Overcoming barriers to breeding
Ball Helix is a multi-disciplinary team of experts in molecular and cell biology and analytical
chemistry that works closely with
Ball breeding and production to
develop innovative commercial
horticulture products

12. • Barrier- unpaired chromosomes
• Remediation
– Chromosome and Ploidy and counts
• Chromosome squash
• Guard cell size analysis
• Flow Cytometry
– Chromosome doubling
• Convert diploid to tetraploid (hibiscus is
2X, commercial cotton 4X)
• Or triploid to hexaploid (triploids are
usually infertile due to unpairing)
Diploid guard cell
Tetraploid guard cell

13. • Barrier- incomplete fertilization
• Remediation
– Pollen tube staining
– Find better male

14. Some breeding statistics (to blow your mind)
• Human genome= ~20,000
• Plant genome
– Arabidopsis thaliana=~26,000
– Zea mays (corn)= ~32,000
– Oryza sativa (rice)= ~41,000
For every gene there are four
possible outcomes= 4 (# of genes)
• For 2 genes, 16 progeny
• 5= 625 progeny
• 26,000 genes?
>400,000,000,000,000,000

15. Conclusion
And that is why, when your parents told you that you were special, they
weren’t lying
And why a plant breeder’s job is never finished
Thank you