Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding

Astley, D. 1987. Genetic resource conservation. Exper. Agric.
23:245–257.
Brush, S.B. 1995. In situ conservation of landraces in center of
crop diversity. Crop Sci. 35:346–354.
Day, P.R. (ed.). 1991. Managing global genetic resources:
The US National Plant Germplasm System. National
Academic Press, Washington, DC.
Duvick, D.N. 1984. Genetic diversity in major farm crops on
the farm and in reserve. Econ. Bot. 38(2):161–178.
Franco, J., J. Crossa, J.M. Ribant, J. Betran, M.L. Warburton,
and M. Khairallah. 2001. A method of combining molecular
markers and phenotypic attributes for classifying plant
genotypes. Theor. Appl. Genet. 103:944–952.
Kloppenburg, J.J., and D.L. Kleinman. 1987. The plant
germplasm controversy. BioScience 37:190–198.
Mohammadi, S.A., and B.M. Prasanna. 2003. Analysis of
genetic diversity in crop plants – Salient statistical tools and
considerations. Crop Sci. 43:1235–1248.
Part A
Please answer the following questions true or false:
PLANT GENETIC RESOURCES FOR PLANT BREEDING 107
References and suggested reading
Outcomes assessment
National Plant Germplasm System. 2003a. Germplasm
Resources Information Network (GRIN) Database
Management Unit (DBMU). NPGS, USDA, Beltsville,
MD.
National Plant Germplasm System. 2003b. USDA-ARS
Germplasm Resources Information Network database.
Peterson, A.H., R.K. Boman, S.M. Brown, et al. 2005.
Reducing the genetic vulnerability of cotton. Crop Sci.
14:1900–1901.
Stoskopf, N.C. 1993. Plant breeding: Theory and practice.
Westview Press, Boulder, CO.
Warburton, M.L., X. Xianchun, J. Crossa, et al. 2002. Genetic
characterization of CIMMYT inbred maize lines and open
pollinated populations, using large scale fingerprinting
methods. Crop Sci. 42:1832–1840.
1 The US National Seed Storage Laboratory at Fort Collins maintains a base collection of germplasm.
2 Generally, the first source of germplasm considered by a plant breeder is undomesticated plants.
3 Without variability, it is impossible to embark upon a plant breeding project.
4 CIMMYT is responsible for maintaining wheat and corn germplasm.
5 Only seeds are stored at a germplasm bank.
Part B
Please answer the following questions:
1 ………………………………………. is the Russian scientist who proposed the concept of centers of diversity.
2 What is a landrace?
3 Distinguish between a base collection of germplasm and an active collection of germplasm at a gene bank.
4 What is Vavilov’s law of homologous series in a heritable variation?
5 Give specific sources of germplasm erosion.
Part C
Please write a brief essay on each of the following topics:
1 Discuss the importance of plant introductions to US agriculture.
2 Discuss the importance of domesticated germplasm to plant breeding.
3 Discuss the US germplasm conservation system.
4 Discuss the role of the CGIAR in germplasm conservation.
5 Discuss the need for germplasm conservation.
6 Discuss Vavilov’s concept of the centers of diversity of crops.