Question

Briefly describe various steps involved in plant breeding.

Answer 1

• Collection of variability – variability is recorded
• Evaluation and selection of parents – desirable traits are searched and parents are selected. They are selfed to obtain homozyosity.
• Cross hybridisation – single to multiple crosses are made between parents of desirable traits to produce a single variety. They are protected from contamination 
• Selection – seeds of desired characters are selected. Selection is made at every generation. Back cross done if desired characters of one parent is not incorporated. 
• Testing, release and commercialisation – Tested by ICAR and released after giving a variety name.