PBR-30806 Design of Plant Breeding Programmes

Course

Credits 6.00

Language of instruction:

English

Assumed knowledge on:

Breeding for Resistance and Quality (PBR-30306)

Contents:

This course builds on Breeding for Resistance and Quality (PBR-30306) and is part of the core of the specialization Plant Breeding and Biodiversity. It consists lectures, a case study and an excursion to a breeding company.
In the theoretical part several topics are presented and discussed that are typical for the choices a breeder has to make, like choice of parents, type and size of populations, change in allele frequencies by selection, effect of crop type on breeding programme, etc. In addition the practice of some breeding programmes of important crops as representatives of different crop types are presented and discussed.
Students will evaluate aspects of breeding programmes by filling out a matrix and use this to chose a crop.
In the case study a small group of students will design a breeding programme for the chosen crop. To this end detailed theoretical and practical aspects of plant breeding are taken into account and combined with some economic, social and environmental aspects. The designed breeding programme is presented orally and in a report.

Learning outcomes:

At the end of this course, the student is expected to be able to:
- integrate theoretical and practical knowledge in a design study for a breeding programme;
- select parameters (parental choice, breeding strategy, population genetics, selection methods, traits of interest) that are crucial for successful practical breeding;
- set up a breeding programme for a specific crop (all along the chain from defining the specific breeding goal(s) until marketing the newly developed variety);
- write both a workplan and a final report of the breeding programme;
- present the workplan and final breeding plan plenary.

Activities:

- lectures;
- self study;
- case study;
- oral presentations.

Examination:

The final mark will consist of the following elements:
- written proposal and report, worked-out crop matrix, oral presentation and oral exam on case study.

Literature:

Powerpoint presentations and additional documention will be available at the start of the course and electronically via Blackboard.