Plant Breeding

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

the science of producing new or improved species of plants by a process of crossing or selection. The tendency of all plants is to reproduce plants possessing all their own characteristics, but changes and improvements are brought about by various methods. The simplest method of the selection process is to save the seeds of only those plants which possess in a marked degree the desired characteristics. This process is usually slow and uncertain, and fertilization through a natural or artificial transfer of pollen is often resorted to. Improvement to various grains, sugar beets, potatoes, etc., has been accomplished by emasculating selected specimens. When the stigma of these are ripe, pollen from other selected plants is applied, and the plants are kept under a gauze hood to prevent accidental contact with other pollen. The seeds of these specially treated specimens are collected, and used for future breeding. Artificial asexual methods, of which grafting is the most common, are the simplest form of plant breeding, and though perhaps the surest of the methods, are not likely to produce the strongest plants. A large number of experiments must be made, and a great amount of tedious work done before a new type produced that can be introduced commercially. improvements, for plants are just as likely to degenerate under the process as they are to improve. These simple rules are used by many of the leading plant breeders: Well developed seedlings produce the best plants; small leaves usually mean undersized fruit; pale leaves mean pale fruit; great productiveness does not go with earliness.