Question

What is plant breeding?

Answer 1

Breeding is the process of improving desirable qualities through the application of genetic principles in animal husbandry, agriculture, and horticulture. Pollen from the chosen male parent, and no other pollen, must be transferred to the chosen female parent in modern plant breeding.

Complete answer:
Plant breeding is the deliberate manipulation of plant qualities to produce new varieties with a desired set of characteristics. Plants of higher quality are chosen and crossed to produce plants of the desired quality. As a result, a plant population with better and desired traits emerges.
The following are the main goals of plant breeding:
1. To increase crop yield.
2. To produce plants with specific traits.
3. The goal is to create a disease-resistant crop.
4. To create plants that can withstand high levels of environmental stress.

Plant breeding can be divided into the following categories:
1. Backcrossing
A plant with desired traits is crossed with a plant with several other traits but none of the desired traits.
2. Inbreeding
Self-fertilization occurs as a result of this. Generation after generation, the progeny produced are identical. This aids in the preservation of the original characteristics.
3. Hybrid Breeding
Two different breeds are crossed in order to produce offspring that are more productive than their parents.
4. Mutation Breeding
Plant varieties are created by mutations in their genes. Exposure to chemicals and radiation can also cause mutations in plants.
By inserting the desired gene into the crop DNA, genetic engineering aids in the production of crops with desirable traits. GMO crops are those that have been genetically modified. Bt crops, for example.
Thus, Plant breeding is the science of modifying plant traits to produce desired characteristics. It has been used to improve the nutritional quality of plant products.

Note:
International development agencies believe that developing new, higher-yielding varieties, disease resistant, drought tolerant, or regionally adapted to different environments and growing conditions is critical for ensuring food security.