Course

Syllabus

Theory

Centres of origin, distribution of species, wild relatives in different cereals; pulses; oilseeds; fibres; fodders and cash crops; vegetable and other horticultural crops; Plant genetic resources, its utilization and conservation, study of genetics of qualitative and quantitative characters; Important concepts of breeding self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and vegetatively propagated crops. Major breeding objectives and procedures including conventional and modern innovative approaches for development of hybrids and varieties for yield, adaptability, stability, abiotic and biotic stress tolerance and quality (physical, chemical, nutritional); Hybrid seed production technology in wheat, oat, chickpea, rapeseed and mustard etc. Ideotype concept, climate resilient crop varieties for future.

Practical

Botany of crops, Floral biology, emasculation and hybridization techniques in different crop species, viz. wheat, oat, rapeseed and mustard, pulses, potato, sugarcane, tomato, chilli, onion etc. Study of field techniques for seed production and hybrid seed production in rabi crops; Estimation of heterosis, inbreeding depression and heritability; Study of quality characters, donor parents for different characters; Visit to seed production plots; Visit to AICRP breeding plots of different crops.

Objectives

1. To provide knowledge about self-pollinated and cross-pollinated rabi crops

2. To learn about origin and distribution of rabi crops

3. To design breeding objectives of major rabi crops

4. To impart information on different crop varieties for rabi season

Course Outcome:

Any student who has undergone the course shall be able to:

Suggested Readings

1. Breeding Field Crops -I by V.L. Chopra
2. Genetic Improvement of Field Crops by C.B. Singh and D. Khare
3. Genetics and Breeding of Pulse crops by D.P. Singh
4. Vegetable Breeding – Principles and Practices by Hari Har Ram
5. Breeding Field Crops by D.A. Sleper and J.M. Poehlman
6. Plant Breeding –Theory and practice by S.K. Gupta
7. Breeding Asian field Crops by J.M. Poehlman and D.N. Barthakur
8. Practical Manuals on Crop Improvement I (Rabi crops) by Rajendra Kumar Yadav