Exploring the journey of plant breeding from ancient traditional practices to modern advancements

Abstract

ABSTRACT Plant breeding started when humans transitioned to settled agriculture, focusing on domestication, selection, and crop introduction. Initially, the processes were slow until the scientific revolution accelerated the development of new varieties. The establishment of the first plant breeding institute in the 18th century highlighted its economic importance. Mendel’s experiment established a scientific foundation for plant breeding, which was further advanced by cytological studies focusing on chromosomes, pure-line theory, inbreeding depression, backcross, single seed descent (SSD), and recurrent selection. Later, mutation breeding added new variations. The 20th century’s Green Revolution resulted in high-yielding crop varieties. In the 21st century, biotechnology and molecular biology such as genetic engineering, genomics, marker-assisted selection, CRISPR, and bioinformatics techniques revolutionized plant breeding. These technologies have led to the development of novel, resistant, and high-yielding varieties, contributing to sustainable agriculture and food security. This review explores plant breeding evolution, discussing traditional breeding methods, the impact of Mendelian genetics, the Green Revolution, and recent biotechnological advancements. By integrating these diverse materials, this review provides a comprehensive resource for breeders, highlighting how the innovations improved crop varieties to address food challenges. This information is particularly valuable for developing countries in their breeding strategies for sustainable food security.