PBR-20806 Plant Breeding

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Studiepunten 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Celbiologie I, Algemene genetica

Continuation courses:

Breeding for Resistance and Quality (PBR-30304), Advanced Statistics for Life Scientists (ABG-30804)

Contents:

This course builds on the first year courses Cell Biology I (CBI-10304) and "Algemene genetica" (GEN-10304) , Plant and Crop Sciences I and II (YLS11804 and YLS12304), and is complementary with Plant Biotechnology (PBR20304) and Biosystematics and Biodiversity (BIS-20304). The course is preparatory for the specialization Plant Breeding and Biodiversity.
This course is introductory to plant breeding in its broadest sense. Attention will be paid to the technical as well as the social aspects. Through lectures, practical training and excursions the students will get familiar with the field of plant breeding. The various subjects will be illustrated with examples from current plant breeding practice.
The setup of this course reflects the different stages in plant breeding programmes. Plant breeders first decide on the priorities of the characters that should be incorporated into their cultivars to be developed: the breeding objectives. Next, they are concerned in where to find genetic diversity for those characters. In order to introduce desirable features into the germplasm, breeders rely on tools and approaches that are called selection methods, to select the progeny-plants that represent superior genotypes. Besides technical aspects, social aspects of plant breeding will be covered. Think of public acceptance of biotechnology, and breeder's rights and patents, the latter determining the rewards for breeders' investments.

Aims:

Students will become acquainted with all aspects of plant breeding, technically as well as organizationally. After having completed this course students should:
- have obtained knowledge on the general procedures and the (inter)national organization of plant breeding;
- understand the implications of the reproduction mode of crops (autogamy, allogamy and vegetative propagation) on the choice of an optimal breeding strategy;
- know the specific breeding requirements for hybrid varieties;
- know how to maintain and multiply starting material and varieties;
- be familiar with the respective roles of producer, trade, consumer and government in setting breeding goals (chain approach);
- realise which social implications certain breeding techniques have, and what would be a fair system for return on investment (breeder's rights and patents).

Activities:

1. lectures;
2. tutorials;
3. practical training;
4. excursion.

Examination:

Examination will be by a written exam and on participation in tutorials, practical training and excursions.

Literature:

A syllabus and additional documentation will be available at the start of the course and electronically via an internet site with restricted access.