Glossary Plant Breeding

Genomics-Assisted Breeding. The integration and use of genomic tools in breeding
practices for developing superior lines with enhanced biotic or abiotic stress tolerance
and improved yield. The objective of GAB is to establish and utilize relationship
between genotype and phenotype for crop improvement. GAB includes a range of
approaches including genomics, transcriptomics and proteomics to identify the
molecular markers associated with traits of interest to the breeders that help prediction
of phenotype from the genotype to assist breeding.
Genomic Library. A library encompassing an entire genome.
Genomics. The cloning and molecular characterization of entire genomes. In other words,
it is cloning and mapping of all the genes present in a genome.
Genome Wide Selection. Also called genomic selection (GS); targeting identification of
superior lines with higher breeding value in a breeding programme based on genomewide
marker profile data. As breeding values are estimated using the genome wide
marker data, these are generally referred as genomic-estimated breeding values
(GEBVs). In brief, GS employs two populations: (i) ‘training population’, that is
generally comprised of breeding lines that were/ are in use in a breeding programme
and phenotyping data, not for some traits, but for overall performance (e.g., yield and
yield components) are available across the environments, and (ii) ‘candidate
population’, which is generally being used currently by breeders.
Genetic Equilibrium. The condition in which successive generations of a population
contain the same genotypes in the same proportions with respect to particular genes or
combinations of genes. The consequence of such a condition is that mean of the
population remains unchanged owing to constancy of gene and genotypic frequencies.
Genus. A systematic unit that comprises a group of species having a common
phylogenetic origin and appearing to be distinctly differentiated from other such
groups.
Glycolysis. Lysis or splitting of glucose. Under anaerobic conditions, glucose is degraded
into lactate. If glycolysis is carried out under aerobic conditions, the final products are
pyruvate and coenzyme NADH. Whether aerobic or anaerobic, the process of
glycolysis is completed in a number of steps with the aid of 10 enzymes, all of which
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