The Art and Science of Plant Breeding in the Modern World of Research Management

Abstract

Abstract Although plant breeding is very old, it has, at least during recorded history, seldom been short of new ideas and concepts that have made breeding procedures more and more powerful and effective. It is reasonable to speculate that the first act of plant breeding was the use of seeds from superior plants for the next year’s crop. Development of new technologies in the intervening years, has added to the power and versatility of the plant breeder’s art. Some of these changes have been spectacular, others rather modest.