Objectives, methods and Weakness of Plant Breeding. Illustration of plant breeding. Plant breeding is a human effort to change the genetic makeup of plants. Agricultural activity is changing the genetic makeup permanently so that the properties or morphology in accordance with the wishes of men. People doing this Agricultural activity called plant breeders. Agricultural activity aims to increase crop yields and improve the quality of productive plants produced. Increased crop yield productive power sought to highlight the results (eg flowers and fruits) and the ability of plants to withstand pest, disease, and hostile environment. In addition, this Agricultural productive activities aimed at improving the ability to grow crops and adjustments to agricultural technology. Meanwhile, the quality of plant products geared to increase in size, contain vitamins and nutrients in them, lure color, uniqueness, beauty, until the disposal of the properties that are less profitable crops for humans.
The purpose of Plant Breeding
Initially, this activity aimed at getting results (food production) are better. However, over time, shift the goal. The purpose Agricultural activity is now a long-term strategy to conduct anticipate the changing tastes of the market or environmental changes. For example, the maize plant breeding which was originally performed only for corn varieties are now made to produce corn plants are resilient and strong to survive in extreme weather. Shifting goal is in anticipation of climate change. Along with the air temperature at the earth's heat, agricultural experts have to rack my brain to try to create plants that 'pass' natural selection to be able to live in the 20-50 years to come, where the climate is expected to be different so that only the strongest plants were able to survive.
Now, in general, there are two goals of this activity. The first is to increase the certainty of the result, that is a glorified plant has a characteristic strong, rapidly harvested, weather resistant and pest nuisance, and so on. The second is for refining the quality of the plant products. This means that there must be progress or improvement in the shape, size, nutrition, endurance store, and colors are the result of a plant glorified. With technological advances in biotechnology, the two main objectives can be more easily achieved.
Kinds of Plant Breeding Methods
Agricultural activity begins with an effort to increase genetic variation followed by selection of the best offspring. There are several ways to increase genetic variation. Conventional way is to use the method of introduction, a cross, and the manipulation of the genome. While the modern process is often referred to as biotechnology, is the manipulation of genes or parts of chromosomes and gene transfer.
1. Introduction
Introductions means bringing raw materials from a different plant. This is the simplest method of breeding. Introductions inspired by the theory of the "center of diversity" which was introduced by the Russian botanist, NI Vavilov. Introduction methods bring different varieties of plants from different places, and then propagated vegetatively. There are some plants that have been honored in this way, including cassava and jatropha.
2. Cross
Crosses is the second most popular way to increase the variety of plants. For example, crossing wheat plants that are resistant to soil with high salt content. In fact, all the crops of rice, corn, and soybeans, which are grown as cash crops in this country is the result of crossbreeding. When observed in depth, actually crosses have harnessed science genome manipulation. Not just marry the two different plant varieties. A cross was chosen as the method of propagation of variation because it is cheap, effective, efficient, and easy to do.
3. Genome Manipulation
Manipulation of the genome is a process of changing the use of genetic manipulation of ploidy, doubling both the number of sets of chromosomes or chromosomal changes. For example, the seedless watermelon. Watermelon is actually a cross between a watermelon tetraploid with diploid watermelon. Indeed, in the manipulation of the genome, it is still necessary to produce a new individual crosses were superior.
4. Gene Manipulation
Gene manipulation is a method of plant breeding using the application of molecular genetics and gene mutations. Techniques employed, including Tilling, antisense technology, gene silencing, RNAi technology, gene engineering, through over-expression. In the laboratory, these techniques have been successfully demonstrated. However, until now, no one has produced new varieties, particularly for commercial needs.
5. Gene Transfer
Another name for this method is the transformation of DNA. How, by inserting genes from other organisms into the plant's DNA for a particular purpose. The resulting plants are usually the title of GM crops. For example, Agrobacterium tumefaciens genes were inserted into tobacco plants were able to make the plants resistant to certain antibiotic. Although advances in technology have proved the reliability of this method is that the results obtained product more in line with human expectations, protests and opposition by some environmental groups. This is due to concerns of various stakeholders of the impact of environmental damage caused when a method is developed extensively.
Weakness Plant Breeding
Although the concept of this activity looks very ideal and precisely applied to solve the world food crisis, in fact, this activity still has a lot of weaknesses that must be improved and be considered for those who are still hesitant to perform these actions. A number of expert cons on the implementation of this activity does have its own reasons for their concern to the program. Here are some disadvantages of plant breeding.
1. Narrowing of genetic diversity
This is the result of 'playing around' with plant genes. It is also an issue that emerged since the beginning of the program was conducted. Because the program is focused on improving the quality of a crop (the nature and outcome), only a small proportion of genetic variation that dominates the garden; which is considered superior only. Selection of a superior variety of plants and are not superior to that causes the narrow genetic diversity of plants cultivated by humans. It then becomes more severe with very specific choice of cultivars cultivated by farmers because consumers are demanding uniformity of product. As a result, the plant instead become susceptible to pests and diseases. Large outbreaks of pests and diseases caused by several things. If the narrowing of variation is allowed, over time the plant breeding activity itself will be stuck alias stagnant.
Recognizing this, the practitioner program seeks cross plants with relatives away or with different plant species that appear new varieties that will be more widespread genetic diversity, rather than narrowed.
2. Mastered germplasm
Because plant breeding and modern methods done by seed companies is quite large and has a high-tech, automated germplasm will be ruled by them. The small farmers and indigenous people who master seed eventually forced his inability to compete with the big seed companies. If it were so, they would be dependent on the supply of seed from big companies. It certainly is not fair, especially by those who are anti-capitalism. To avoid this in this activity, there is an ideal solution. The solution is to apply the concept of participatory plant breeding. With this concept, germplasm held by peasant owners, while large companies are leveraging the utilization of genetic resources.
The purpose of Plant Breeding
Initially, this activity aimed at getting results (food production) are better. However, over time, shift the goal. The purpose Agricultural activity is now a long-term strategy to conduct anticipate the changing tastes of the market or environmental changes. For example, the maize plant breeding which was originally performed only for corn varieties are now made to produce corn plants are resilient and strong to survive in extreme weather. Shifting goal is in anticipation of climate change. Along with the air temperature at the earth's heat, agricultural experts have to rack my brain to try to create plants that 'pass' natural selection to be able to live in the 20-50 years to come, where the climate is expected to be different so that only the strongest plants were able to survive.
Now, in general, there are two goals of this activity. The first is to increase the certainty of the result, that is a glorified plant has a characteristic strong, rapidly harvested, weather resistant and pest nuisance, and so on. The second is for refining the quality of the plant products. This means that there must be progress or improvement in the shape, size, nutrition, endurance store, and colors are the result of a plant glorified. With technological advances in biotechnology, the two main objectives can be more easily achieved.
Kinds of Plant Breeding Methods
Agricultural activity begins with an effort to increase genetic variation followed by selection of the best offspring. There are several ways to increase genetic variation. Conventional way is to use the method of introduction, a cross, and the manipulation of the genome. While the modern process is often referred to as biotechnology, is the manipulation of genes or parts of chromosomes and gene transfer.
1. Introduction
Introductions means bringing raw materials from a different plant. This is the simplest method of breeding. Introductions inspired by the theory of the "center of diversity" which was introduced by the Russian botanist, NI Vavilov. Introduction methods bring different varieties of plants from different places, and then propagated vegetatively. There are some plants that have been honored in this way, including cassava and jatropha.
2. Cross
Crosses is the second most popular way to increase the variety of plants. For example, crossing wheat plants that are resistant to soil with high salt content. In fact, all the crops of rice, corn, and soybeans, which are grown as cash crops in this country is the result of crossbreeding. When observed in depth, actually crosses have harnessed science genome manipulation. Not just marry the two different plant varieties. A cross was chosen as the method of propagation of variation because it is cheap, effective, efficient, and easy to do.
3. Genome Manipulation
Manipulation of the genome is a process of changing the use of genetic manipulation of ploidy, doubling both the number of sets of chromosomes or chromosomal changes. For example, the seedless watermelon. Watermelon is actually a cross between a watermelon tetraploid with diploid watermelon. Indeed, in the manipulation of the genome, it is still necessary to produce a new individual crosses were superior.
4. Gene Manipulation
Gene manipulation is a method of plant breeding using the application of molecular genetics and gene mutations. Techniques employed, including Tilling, antisense technology, gene silencing, RNAi technology, gene engineering, through over-expression. In the laboratory, these techniques have been successfully demonstrated. However, until now, no one has produced new varieties, particularly for commercial needs.
5. Gene Transfer
Another name for this method is the transformation of DNA. How, by inserting genes from other organisms into the plant's DNA for a particular purpose. The resulting plants are usually the title of GM crops. For example, Agrobacterium tumefaciens genes were inserted into tobacco plants were able to make the plants resistant to certain antibiotic. Although advances in technology have proved the reliability of this method is that the results obtained product more in line with human expectations, protests and opposition by some environmental groups. This is due to concerns of various stakeholders of the impact of environmental damage caused when a method is developed extensively.
Weakness Plant Breeding
Although the concept of this activity looks very ideal and precisely applied to solve the world food crisis, in fact, this activity still has a lot of weaknesses that must be improved and be considered for those who are still hesitant to perform these actions. A number of expert cons on the implementation of this activity does have its own reasons for their concern to the program. Here are some disadvantages of plant breeding.
1. Narrowing of genetic diversity
This is the result of 'playing around' with plant genes. It is also an issue that emerged since the beginning of the program was conducted. Because the program is focused on improving the quality of a crop (the nature and outcome), only a small proportion of genetic variation that dominates the garden; which is considered superior only. Selection of a superior variety of plants and are not superior to that causes the narrow genetic diversity of plants cultivated by humans. It then becomes more severe with very specific choice of cultivars cultivated by farmers because consumers are demanding uniformity of product. As a result, the plant instead become susceptible to pests and diseases. Large outbreaks of pests and diseases caused by several things. If the narrowing of variation is allowed, over time the plant breeding activity itself will be stuck alias stagnant.
Recognizing this, the practitioner program seeks cross plants with relatives away or with different plant species that appear new varieties that will be more widespread genetic diversity, rather than narrowed.
2. Mastered germplasm
Because plant breeding and modern methods done by seed companies is quite large and has a high-tech, automated germplasm will be ruled by them. The small farmers and indigenous people who master seed eventually forced his inability to compete with the big seed companies. If it were so, they would be dependent on the supply of seed from big companies. It certainly is not fair, especially by those who are anti-capitalism. To avoid this in this activity, there is an ideal solution. The solution is to apply the concept of participatory plant breeding. With this concept, germplasm held by peasant owners, while large companies are leveraging the utilization of genetic resources.
