Problems Facing Plant Breeding

This book enumerates the problems faced by plant breeders in evolving modern varieties. The first chapter deals with wide hybridization and its utilisation methods to overcome crossability barriers and the problem in utilisation of wide hybrids. The present trend is breeding for drought resistance and hence the author has devoted subsequent chapters for breeding of improved genotypes. Emphasis has been given in "CIMMYT’s" concept of breeding. Further the book deals with mitochondrian gene expression and molecular basis of cytoplasmic male sterile systems. A detailed account has been given on stability analysis with concepts of stability, genetic properties of stability and the biometrical methods to estimate stability. The cytogenetics of apomixis and its exploitation in heterosis breeding has also been provided. The students of today should know about bio-technology for crop improvement and also direct gene transfer technology. For this two chapters are devoted with details of genetic manipulation by protoplast fusion techniques. In this, a detailed account is given for direct gene transfer to grass protoplasts, sunflower protoplasts and transformation of unlinked foreign genes. Further cytoplasmic male sterility in crop improvement is discussed in the last chapter giving informations on characterization of CMS, encoding loci, expression of CMS associated loci and their uses in agriculture.