Hybrid Seed Production

Abstract

Food is the basic necessity of human being and good quality seed is most critical input for enhancing the food productivity. Use of good quality seed can enhance the yield by 15-20% and this can be raised up to 45% by effective management of other inputs. Hybrid seed is a type of seed which have potential of enhancing global food and nutritional security. Hybrid seed are produced by crossing of two homozygous parental lines of two different gene pools. These are also known as F1 seeds and have more yield, better uniformity and resistance to insect, pests as compared to their parents due to heterosis. Hybrid seeds are produced by the effective manipulation of cross-pollination by a number of methods such as manual emasculation and pollination, use of genetic male sterility (GMS), use of Cytoplasmic male sterility, use of self-incompatibility and use of cytoplasmic- genetic male sterility. Although hybrid seeds provide numerous advantages to the growers, but they also have some shortcomings too. The production of hybrid seeds is a labour intensive and costly process and requires the assistance of skilled personnel. Hybrid breeding of crops for one desired character may often lead to degeneration of other traits in the seed. Hybrid seeds cannot be saved and have to be produced every year due to segregation of generations. This makes it expensive for small and marginal farmers to afford hybrid seeds