While preparing the first edition of this textbook I attended an extension short course on writing agricultural publications. The message I remember was "select your audience and write to it. " There has never been any doubt about the audience for which this textbook was written, the introductory course in crop breeding. In addition, it has become a widely used reference for the graduate plant-breeding student and the practicing plant breeder. In its prepa ration, particular attention has been given to advances in plant-breeding theo ry and their utility in plant-breeding practice. The blend of the theoretical with the practical has set this book apart from other plant-breeding textbooks. The basic structure and the objectives of the earlier editions remain un changed. These objectives are (1) to review essential features of plant re production, Mendelian genetic principles, and related genetic developments applicable in plant-breeding practice; (2) to describe and evaluate established and new plant-breeding procedures and techniques, and (3) to discuss plant breeding objectives with emphasis on the importance of proper choice of objec tive for achieving success in variety development. Because plant-breeding activities are normally organized around specific crops, there are chapters describing breeding procedures and objectives for the major crop plants; the crops were chosen for their economic importance or diversity in breeding sys tems. These chapters provide a broad overview of the kinds of problems with which the breeder must cope.

The plant breeder and his work; Reproduction in crop plants; Genetics and plant breeding: gene recombination; Genetics and plant breeding: variations in chromosome number; Genetics and plant breeding: mutation; Fertility regulating mechanisms and their manipulation; Plant introduction, acclimatization and germ plasm conservation; Methods of breeding: self-pollinated crops; Methods of breeding: cross-polinated crops, asexually propagated crops; Techniques in breeding field crops; Breeding wheat and triticale breeding wheat; Breeding rice; Breeding barley and oats breeding barley; Breeding soybeans; Breeding corn; Breeding sorghum and millet breeding sorghum; Breeding cotton; Breeding sugar beets; Breeding forage crops; Seed production practices.

Development of superior crops that have consistent performance in quality and in quantity has not received the same emphasis in the field of genetics and breeding as merited. Specialty trait requires special focus to propagate. Yet basic germplasm and breeding methodologies optimized to improve crops are often applied in the development of improved specialty types. However, because of the standards required for specialty traits, methods of development and improvement are usually more complex than those for common commodity crops. The same standards of performance are desired, but the genetics of the specialty traits often impose breeding criteria distinct from those of non-specialty possessing crops. Specifically, quality improvement programs have unique characteristics that require careful handling and monitoring during their development for specific needs. Adding value either via alternative products from the large volumes of grain produced or development of specialty types is of interest to producers and processors. This work assimilates the most topical results about quality improvement with contemporary plant breeding approaches.The objective of this book is to provide a summary of the germplasm, methods of development, and specific problems involved for quality breeding. In total, fourteen chapters, written by leading scientists involved in crop improvement research, provide comprehensive coverage of the major factors impacting specialty crop improvement.

Organic Crop Breeding provides readers with a thorough review of the latest efforts by crop breeders and geneticists to develop improved varieties for organic production. The book opens with chapters looking at breeding efforts that focus on specific valuable traits such as quality, pest and disease resistance as well as the impacts improved breeding efforts can have on organic production. The second part of the book is a series of crop specific case studies that look at breeding efforts currently underway from around the world in crops ranging from carrots to corn. Organic Crop Breeding includes chapters from leading researchers in the field and is carefully edited by two pioneers in the field. Organic Crop Breeding provides valuable insight for crop breeders, geneticist, crop science professionals, researchers, and advanced students in this quickly emerging field.

In modern days, crop improvement is a multidisciplinary division of agriculture. In this book, entitled, Breeding, Biotechnology and Seed Production of Field Crops, emphasis has been given on principles, methods and practices in plant breeding, biotechnology in crop improvement and seed production of field crops. The book has been written for all sections of learners, educators and staff-members of seed industries. Particular importance has been underlined for postgraduate students who specialize in plant breeding and seed science. Each chapter of the book has been designed as per the recommended of syllabus of Indian Council of Agricultural Research for the postgraduate students of various Agricultural Universities in our country. This book has been divided into two major parts- i) Principles of crop breeding and ii) Methods and practices of crop improvement and seed production of individual field crop. The book contains total of 18 chapteFirst three chapters are related to shed light on the basic-principles and remaining chapters deal with methods and practices of individual crop for improvement and seed production. We hope that the book will be ready to lend a hand to the advanced undergraduate students doing plant breeding in elective, postgraduate students who opted plant breeding, teachers, researchers and staff-members of private seed companies of this field of specialization.

Outlining successful breeding techniques to augment the yields of the world's major crops, this reference analyzes the physiological and genetic basis for past and potential future increases in crop yields.;Covering crops with wide differences in morphology, photosynthetic rates, and nitrogen metabolisms, Genetic Improvement of Field Crops: investigates the changes produced by breeders in the physiological attributes affecting wheat grain yield and nitrogen content during the last century; discusses those crop characteristics of oats that have already been altered or might be manipulated through breeding to further increase yield potential; describes several genetic factors responsible for both yield potential and stress resistance in barley; offers insights into the relationship between increases in the yield potential and stress tolerance of corn; examines the evolution of sunflower crop yields and yield stability and estimates the contribution of improved cultivars; evaluates the effects of breeding on tuber characteristics related to the crop growth and yield of the potato; elucidates the possibilities for simultaneous improvement of yield and fiber strength in cotton; and identifies the features to be considered in the development of high yielding varieties of rice for different agricultural systems.;Providing nearly 1600 key literature citations allowing further in-depth study of particular topics, Genetic Improvement of Field Crops is for plant physiologists and breeders, crop and agricultural scientists, agronomists, biochemists, geneticists, biotechnologists, microbiologists, and upper-level undergraduate and graduate students in these disciplines.

The plant breeder and his work; Reproduction in crop plants; Genetics in relation to plant breeding; Methods of breeding field crops; Techniques in breeding field crops; Breeding wheat; Breeding oats, barley, rice, flax, tobacco, soybeans, corn, sorghum, cotton, sugar beets, forage crops; Seed production practices.