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#crop development

3 public questions tagged with this topic.

Plant Breeding 1

Which is the first step in plant introduction?

Procurement initiates introduction by identifying, requesting and acquiring desired germplasm along with passport data. Breeder formulates objective for traits like drought tolerance, nutritional quality or disease resistance and submits proforma to NBPGR Plant Exchange Division citing botanical name, gene pool and donor institute. NBPGR consults databases, issues import permit, negotiates Material Transfer Agreement and compliance with Convention on Biological Diversity. Alternatively explorers collect wild relatives, landraces or elite lines during targeted expeditions, preserving herbarium voucher, latitude, altitude and farmer knowledge. Propagules accompanied by phytosanitary certificate confirming freedom from quarantine pests. Without rigorous procurement, duplicate accessions accumulate, narrow diversity captured and risk of contaminated seed lots increases, delaying subsequent quarantine and evaluation stages. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs.

Ref: NBPGR Manual Plant Exchange and Procurement; FAO Genebank Standards; DDUGU Notes Domestication Introduction Procurement.

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Plant Breeding 1

Plant introduction refers to:

Plant introduction represents deliberate movement and establishment of genotypes, cultivars, species or wild relatives into new geographic area where they were not previously cultivated, either internationally or domestically. Procedure encompasses exploration, procurement via correspondence with genebanks such as CIMMYT, IRRI, USDA, quarantine screening for pathogens, cataloging with exotic collection EC or indigenous IC numbers, multi-location evaluation for photoperiod and temperature adaptation, and eventual acclimatization through natural selection shifting allele frequencies. Two categories are recognized: primary introduction where introduced cultivar directly used as commercial variety after selection, exemplified by IR8 rice, and secondary introduction where introduced germplasm serves as donor parent in hybridization for introgression of specific traits like disease resistance encoded by R genes. This method enriches narrow genetic base and complies with ITPGRFA exchange protocols. This understanding supports competitive exam preparation for NEET, GATE and CSIR NET concepts linking genotype with phenotype through molecular pathways involving transcription factors, hormones and metabolic enzymes that regulate development, adaptation and reproductive biology in applied breeding programs.

Ref: Acquaah G. Principles Plant Genetics Breeding Chapter 3; Singh BD Plant Breeding Methods Introduction definition; NCERT Biology.

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Plant Breeding 1

Which of the following is NOT a major objective of plant breeding?

Core objectives of plant breeding aim to enhance agronomic value and consumer safety. High yield achieved through selection for effective tillering, synchronous flowering, increased sink strength, and exploitation of heterosis via hybrid breeding. Improving quality includes enriching protein content, essential amino acids, oil composition lowering saturated fats, micronutrients such as iron and zinc, vitamins, and reducing antinutritional compounds like phytic acid and trypsin inhibitors. Disease resistance against fungi, bacteria, viruses and insect pest tolerance via major genes and quantitative resistance reduces pesticide dependence. Abiotic stress tolerance to drought, salinity, flooding and temperature extremes mediated by stress responsive genes improves stability. Traits for wide adaptability, mechanical harvestability, synchronous maturity, and shattering resistance also important. Increase in toxicity is never desirable; instead breeding programs aim to eliminate or lower endogenous toxins such as gossypol in cottonseed, erucic acid in mustard, solanine in potatoes, cucurbitacin bitterness, and cyanogenic glycosides in sorghum because toxic levels compromise food and feed safety, making detoxification a major quality breeding objective aligned with nutritional security missions.

Ref: Sleper & Poehlman Breeding Field Crops 6th Ed Objectives; Singh BD Plant Breeding Principles: reduction of toxicity quality breeding goal.

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