Rapid Generation Advancement and Fast-Track Breeding Approaches in Wheat Improvement

Abstract

AbstractThe development of homozygous pure lines in wheat requires more than 3 and 6 years with and without offseason facilities. The traditional way of generation advancement is time-consuming, laborious and high-cost task. In recent times, advances in understanding the plant physiology and response of plants to different photoperiod regimes have helped breeders to adopt rapid generation advancement (RGA) protocols. These protocols have enabled the rapid generation of homozygous lines with more number of crop generations per year while enhancing the rate of genetic gain. Breeding strategies such as marker-assisted backcross breeding (MABB) and genomic selection (GS) can be easily integrated with RGA technology to develop stress-resilient modern wheat varieties quickly and efficiently. Generally, standardized protocols of doubled haploid (DH) technology and speed breeding are available and can be employed to reduce the time required to achieve homozygosity and develop a cultivar in wheat. In this chapter, we discuss different RGA protocols, their adaptive costs and limitations for successfully applying these strategies for accelerated breeding and maximization of genetic gain through an increased number of generations per year.KeywordsWheatRapid generation advancementDoubled haploidSpeed breedingMABBGS