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The field of plant breeding has grown rapidly in the last decade with breakthrough research in genetics and genomics, inbred development, population improvement, hybrids, clones, self-pollinated crops, polyploidy, transgenic breeding and more. This book discusses the latest developments in all these areas but explores the next generation of needs and discoveries including omics beyond genomics, cultivar seeds and intellectual and property rights. This book is a leading-edge publication of the latest results and forecasts important areas of future needs and applications.

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Contents

1. Introduction to Plant Breeding

Plant Breeding and Society

Genetics, Omics and Plant Breeding

Populations

Genetic Diversity

Distances Measures

Grouping Germplasm

Quantitative Variation

Mapping Traits

Genotype-by-Environment Interaction

Phenotyping

Phenomics

References

2. Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture

Crop Evolution and Plant Species Feeding the World

Genebanks

Gene Pools

Describing Variation and Identifying Redundancy

Germplasm Evaluation

Descriptors

Documentation and Bioinformatics

Geo-documentation to Identify Germplasm

Genebank Sampling and Core Subsets

Genomics of Plant Genetic Resources

Putting Genes into Usable Forms

References

3. Inbred Development

DNA markers for Mapping Quantitative Trait Loci (QTL) and Aided Breeding

Inbreeding and Line Development

Doubled Haploids

Adaptability: Learning for Model Plant Systems

Breeding for Stress-prone Environments and Resource-use Efficiency

Host-plant Resistance BreedingParticipatory and Client-driven Plant Breeding

References

4. Population Improvement

Recurrent Selection and Breeding Populations

Genome-wide Association and Quantitative Trait Variation

Plant Genomics
and Marker-assisted Selection

Genomic Selection and Prediction of Breeding Values

References

5. Heterosis and Inter-Specific Hybridization

Heterotic Groups

Hybrid Vigor

Heterosis in Plant Breeding

Understanding Hybrid Vigor in Model Plants and Crops

Omics Research on Heterosis

Hybrids in Selfing Species

Polyploid Heterosis

Interspecific hybridization

References

6. Mutations and Epigenetics

Induced Mutations and Plant Breeding

Induced Mutations and Genomics-led Plant Breeding

Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes (TILLING)

Epigenetics

References

7. Genetic Engineering and Transgenic Breeding

Plant Genetic Engineering "Issues"

Transgenic Crops "Risks"

Transgene Flow

Pest Resistance and Impacts on Non-target Organisms

Detecting Genetically Modified Organisms and Other Safety Assessments

Transgenic Agriculture and Co-existence

Plant Genetic Engineering Impacts

Transgenic Agriculture Outlook

New Plant Breeding Techniques

References

8. DNA Sequencing, other Omics and Synthetic Biology

DNA Sequencing

Next Generation Sequencing

Genotyping-by-Sequencing

Other Relevant Omics for Plant Breeding

Breeding Informatics

Case Study: Omics-led Legume Breeding

Pl
ant Synthetic Biology: Another Tool for Plant Breeding?

References

9. Breeding Self-fertilizing Plants: From Inbred to Hybrid Cultivars

Rice

Domestication

Genetic Enhancement

Genomics

Marker-aided Selection (MAS)

Stress Breeding

Interspecific Hybridization and Participatory Breeding

Hybrid Cultivars

Phenotyping

Genetic Engineering

Wheat

Evolution and Diversity

Germplasm Enhancement

Resynthesizing Wheat

Shuttle Breeding and Mega-environments

Grain Yield Potential

Perennial Wheat

Biotechnology

Ex ante and in silico Breeding

Tomato

References

10. Breeding Open Pollinated, Hybrid and Transgenic Outcrossing Species

Maize

Domestication and Diversity

Germplasm Enhancement

Breeding

Inbred Line Development and Hybrids

Doubled Haploids

Genomics-led Improvement for Enhancing Genetic Gains

Developing Stress-resilient Germplasm

Nutritious Maize

Prediction of Breeding Values

Genetic Engineering

Cotton

Cassava

Case Study: Cassava Breeding in sub-Saharan Africa

References

11. Polyploidy and Plant Breeding

Potato

Origin, Diversity and Taxonomy

Ploidy Manipulations

Genetic Resources and Breeding

True Potato Seed

Genomics

Genetic Engineering

Banana/Plantain

References

12. Seeds, Clones and Perennials

Seed Development: Learning from a Model Plant System

Inbred and Open Pollinated Se

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