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Glossary
Sections:
Introduction
Principles of inheritance
Genotypic variation
Other forms of heritable variation
Quantitative variation and heritability
Novel sources of genetic variation
The practice of plant breeding
Breeding methods
Breeding methods
Self pollinators: Mass selection
Self pollinators: Pure line selection
Self pollinators: Pedigree selection
The pedigree breeding funnel: wheat example
Self pollinators: Single seed descent and doubled haploid lines
Single seed descent
Single seed descent, contd
Doubled haploids
Self pollinators: Back-cross breeding
Self pollinators: male sterility and F1 hybrids
Manual emasculation
Chemical sterilization
Genetic male sterility
Cross pollinators: F1 hybrids
Cross pollinators: F1 hybrids, contd
Polyploids
Polyploids contd
Ploidy level affects fertility
Autopolyploid breeding
Alloployploid breeding
Vegetatively propagated crops
Tree crops
Participatory plant breeding
Plant Breeders' rights
New technologies for plant breeding
Untitled Document

Vegetatively propagated crops

A number of species have to be vegetatively propagated because they are sterile (example: banana). But many more are propagated this way for convenience (examples: sugar cane, sweet potato, cassava).

Vegetative propagation means that once a superior individual has been identified, it can be reproduced over and over. Planting material can be root-derived (eg potato) or stem-derived (eg sugarcane). Some very high value plants are also multiplied in vitro from stem meristem cells (eg orchids). A potential problem is that mutations can accumulate over time, resulting in the erosion of the superior genotype; also the planting material can become weakened by virus infection.

Because seed is not the product, fertility is not an issue. This allows more opportunities to exploit heterosis and wide crosses.