The Future of Plant Breeding

Abstract

A symposium was hosted 10 to 11 Mar. 2005 at Michigan State University to discuss the future of plant breeding education at public institutions. Plant breeding remains a vibrant, multidisciplinary science characterized by its ability to reinvent itself by absorbing and utilizing novel scientific findings and technical approaches. A contemporary breeding curriculum should include hands‐on experience with the inheritance and selection of complex traits in actual plant populations, basic biology of plants (reproductive biology, Mendelian genetics), principles of quantitative genetics and selection theory, principles and practice of plant breeding and related sciences such as genomics, applied statistics, experimental design, and pest sciences. Plant breeding education should also comprise several professional skills, including knowledge of other languages, business management, and intellectual property rights. The private sector should play an increased role in the plant breeding. There is also a need for alternative types of training in plant breeding geared toward working breeders and farmers. Additional support for plant breeding education programs may come from the private sector and the federal government. With regard to specialty crops, increased support for research and education may result from a focus on the unique features of these crops. Finally, it is important to cultivate public awareness of the accomplishments of plant breeding.

Molecular Plant Breeding as the Foundation for 21st Century Crop Improvement

“…As illustrated here and described by others previously (e.g. Gepts and Hancock, 2006;Bliss, 2007), this integration requires knowledge of the genomic organization and function of genes, a solid foundation in statistical approaches to estimate genetic effects, strong background in plant biology, experience with both the laboratory methods of molecular biology/ functional genomics and field-based breeding practices, and the ability to manage large datasets with diverse data types. Though an awareness and appreciation for each of these disciplines is recognized as important by all plant scientists, student education and training efforts, funding streams, and research programs still typically emphasize specific subsets of the molecular breeding paradigm.…”

“…First, molecular plant breeding requires training and expertise in both molecular biology and plant breeding. Educational efforts that delivered such interdisciplinary training were initially established in the early 1990s, but still remain limited to a relatively small group of academic institutions with historic strengths in plant breeding (Guner and Wehner, 2003;Gepts and Hancock, 2006;Guimarães and Kueneman, 2006). A second reason for reduced enthusiasm to embrace biotechnology among some plant breeders is the problems with acceptance of transgenic crops among certain governments and groups of consumers, as exemplified by the shelving of wheat varieties with transgenes for resistance to glyphosate herbicides (Sokstad, 2004).…”

The role of molecular markers and marker assisted selection in breeding for organic agriculture

“…The private breeding sector requires a curriculum dealing with molecular techniques as well as with 'traditional', phenotype-based field selection in actual populations (Gepts and Hancock 2005). This may help to develop skills how molecular genetics can be incorporated into traditional breeding programmes (Ransom et al 2006).…”

Development and Cultivation of Local Kidney Bean (<i>Phaseolus Vulgaris </i>L) Through Breeding to use Multi gamma Irradiation Technique (Nuclear)

“…The abnormality on plant and other organism was irradiated by gamma or multi sources show the changing on genetic level or deoxyribo nucleic acid (DNA) and chromosome. Those process produce variations of new genetic as the basic of plant selection (natural or breeding), in order that, the breeder is easy to select of genotive apropriate to purpose of breeding (Gepts and Hancock, 2006;Agusrial, 2008;Carsono, 2008). On general, physical mutagent is high energy which produced by nuclear reaction from radioactive sources.…”