Plant Breeding

Note: this course will start in 2025/26. This course will not be delivered in 2024/25.

This course introduces students to key principles of plant breeding. Plant breeding is the science-driven creative process of changing the traits of plants in order to develop new plant varieties. Several essential approaches and tools used in the process are discussed: different modes of reproduction, selection methods, including molecular selection methods, the production of hybrid cultivars, mutation breeding and polyploidy. Some insight is given in legislative aspects of Plant Breeder's Rights and patents.

After successful completion of this course students are expected to be able to:

• Explain basic concepts and principles in plant breeding
• Analyze genetic segregations and linkages
• Summarize the advantages and limitations of plant breeding selection programmes, taking into account the crop of interest, its reproductive mode, the trait of interest, and feasibility of genomic, genotypic and phenotypic tools
• Explain the theory of domestication of crop species, also in relation to changes at the ploidy level and structural chromosomal changes
• Explain and discuss the principles of breeders' rights and patents
• Explain the concepts of genetic markers and how they are applied in plant breeding, especially for the quick introgression of genes from wild material
• Understand and apply basic techniques in molecular biology, such as DNA, RNA and protein isolation, (RT)-PCR, restriction enzyme digestions, agarose gel electrophoresis, cloning
• Use practical skills in plant breeding, such as quantitative analysis and lab skills

Assumed Knowledge:
Mendelian genetics as taught in GEN11806, textbook Griffiths [et al.], An Introduction to Genetic Analysis, 12th ed.: Chapters 1, 2, 3 (single gene inheritance, Mendel’s laws), 4 (mapping by recombination), 6 (digenic segregation patterns), and 19 (inheritance of complex traits, heritability).