Breeding of self-pollinated crops

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Steps involved in hybridization
1. Choice or selection of parents
2. Evaluation of parents i.e. by selfing and studying the progeny
3. Crossing or pollination
4. Harvesting of F1 seed
5. Raising F1 generation
From F2 onwards the generations are known as segregating generations and they may be
handled either by pedigree method of Bulk method or backcross method for evolving new
varieties.

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Pedigree Method
In the pedigree method:
• Individual plants are selected from F2 and subsequent generations
• During the entire operation a record of all parent- offspring relationships is kept (pedigree
record)
• Individual plant selection is continued till the progenies show no segregation and become
homozygous
• Multilocation tests are conducted and released as varieties.

* It is useful to know the relationship of two individuals and useful for selection of parents and
prediction of outcome of the cross.
** The objective of these test is to find out superior crosses and superior progenies in early
generations i.e. in F2 and F3.

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Merits of Pedigree Method
1. It gives maximum opportunity for the breeder to use his skill and judgement in selection of
plants

2. It is well suited for the improvement of characters which can be easily identified and are
simply inherited.

3. Information about the inheritance of characters and pedigree of lines can be obtained.

4. Inferior plants and progenies are eliminated in early generations.

5. It takes less time than bulk method to develop new variety.

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Demerits of Pedigree Method
1. Valuable genotypes may be lost in early generations, if sufficient skill and knowledge
are lacking in the breeder, at the time of selection

2. No opportunity for natural selection

3. Difficult to handle many crosses

4. Maintenance of records, selections, growing progeny rows are time consuming

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Bulk Method
• Also known as mass method ‘or’ Population method of breeding

• F2 and subsequent generations are harvested in mass as bulk to raise the next
generation.

• At the end of the bulking period (after attaining homozygosity) individual plants are
selected and evaluated similar manner as pedigree method of breeding.

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Merits of Bulk Methods
1. The bulk method is simple, convenient and less expensive
2. Since, each F2 plant is equally represented till F6, no chance of elimination of good
genotypes in early generations
3. Artificial or natural disease epiphytics, winter killing high temperature etc. eliminates
undesirable types and increases the frequency of desirable type.
5. Since, little work and attention is needed in F2 and subsequent generation more no. of
crosses can be handled.
6. No pedigree records which saves time
7. Since large population are grown, transgressive segregants are more likely to appear and
increase due to natural selection. Hence, there is a greater chance to isolate good
segregants than pedigree method.

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Demerits OF Bulk Method
1. It takes a much longer time to develop a new variety (Up to F20 or more).
2. In short-term bulks, natural selection has little effect on the genetic composition of
populations.
3. It provides little opportunity for the breeder to exercise his skill or judgement in
selection.
4. A large number of progenies have to be selected at the end of the bulking period.
5. Information on the inheritance of characters cannot be obtained which is often available
from the pedigree method.
6. In some cases, at least, natural selection may act against the agronomically desirable
types.

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Single-Seed-Descent Method
• A modification of the bulk method
In this method:
• a single seed from each of the F2 plants is bulked to raise the F3 generation.
• F4 and subsequent generations planted form single seeds from of each F3 plants and so
on until F5 or F6.
• So, each F2 plant is represented in the F5-F6 generation population.

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Merits:
1. Rapid generation advance; 2-4 generation/yr;
2. Require very little space, effort and labour;
3. Makes the best use of greenhouse and off-season nursery facilities
4. Ensure that each F2 plant is represented in the population

Demerits:
1. It does not permit any form of selection during the segregating generations
2. In each successive generation, the population size becomes progressively smaller due to
poor germination and death of plants due to diseases, insect pests and accidents.

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Backcross Method
• an undesirable allele at a particular locus is replaced by the desirable
allele.
• In other words, B.C. procedure conserves all good characteristics of a
popular adapted variety and incorporates a desirable character from
another variety.

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• Back cross : A cross between a hybrid (F1 or a segregating generation) and one of its
parents
• Back cross method : In the B.C. method, the hybrid and the progenies in the subsequent
generations are repeatedly back crossed to one of their parents.
• Objective : To improve or correct one or two specific defects of a high yielding variety,
which is well adapted to the area and has other desirable characteristics.
• Recipient parent : Well adapted, high yielding variety, lacking one or two characters and
hence receives these genes from other variety.
• Recurrent parent : Since the recipient parent is repeatedly used in the backcross
programme, it is also known as the recurrent parent.
• Donor parent : The variety which donates one or two useful genes.
• Non-recurrent parent : The donor parent, on the other hand, is known as the non-
recurrent parent because it is used only once in the breeding programme (for producing
the F1 hybrid).

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(a) dominant or (b) recessive
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Merits of Backcross Method
1. The genotype of new variety is nearly identical with that of the recurrent parent, except
for the genes transferred.
2. It is not necessary to test the variety developed by the backcross method in extensive
yield tests because the performance of the recurrent parent is already known.
3. The backcross programme is not dependent upon the environment. Therefore, off –
season nurseries and green-houses can be used to grow 2-3 generations each year.
4. Much smaller populations are needed in the backcross method than in the case of
pedigree method.

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Demerits of Backcross Method
1. The new variety generally cannot be superior to the recurrent parent, except for the
character that is transferred.
2. Undesirable genes closely linked with the gene being transferred may also be
transmitted to the new variety.
3. Hybridization has to be done for each backcross. This often difficult, time taking and
costly.

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