Principles and Practice of Plant Breeding

The book "Principles and Practice of Plant Breeding" by J. R. Sharma is a comprehensive textbook that covers the fundamental principles and practical methods of plant breeding. Here is a detailed overview of the book:

Key Themes

1. Selection Methods:

   • Natural and Artificial Selection: The book discusses the basic principles of selection, including mass selection, pure line selection, and their merits and demerits.
   • Genetic Basis of Selection: It explains the genetic basis of pure line selection, including the general procedure for evolving a variety by pure line selection, and compares it with mass selection.

2. Hybridization:

   • Aims and Objectives: The book covers the aims and objectives of hybridization, types of hybridization, and the pre-requisites and procedures involved in hybridization.

3. Handling of Segregating Generations:

   • Pedigree Method: It explains the pedigree method, its procedure, modifications, and the merits and demerits of this method.
   • Bulk Method: The book discusses the bulk method, its procedure, and the merits and demerits. It also compares the bulk method with the pedigree method.
   • Backcross Method: It covers the backcross method, its requirements, procedures, applications, merits, and demerits. It also compares the backcross method with other methods like pedigree and bulk methods.

4. Biometrics in Plant Breeding:

   • Definition and Role: The book defines biometrics and its role in plant breeding, including qualitative and quantitative characters, and the components of genetic variation such as additive, dominance, and epistatic variance.

5. Genetic Basis of Breeding:

   • Self- and Cross-Pollinated Crops: It discusses the genetic basis of breeding self- and cross-pollinated crops, including the nature of variability, heritability, genetic advance, and response to selection.

6. Pollination Control and Genotype-Environment Interaction:

   • Mechanism of Pollination Control: The book covers the mechanisms of pollination control in plants, including self-incompatibility classification and its significance in crop improvement.
   • Genotype-Environment Interaction: It explains the significance of genotype-environment interaction in plant breeding.

7. Special Breeding Methods:

   • In Vitro Selection Techniques: The book discusses in vitro selection techniques, mutation breeding, polyploidy breeding, and distant hybridization.

Plot Summary

The book is structured to provide a comprehensive understanding of plant breeding principles and practices. It starts with an introduction to plant breeding, covering its objectives, historical perspective, and the role of plant breeding in agriculture. It then delves into the genetic basis of breeding self- and cross-pollinated crops, including the nature of variability and the genetic consequences of different breeding methods.

The book is divided into several units, each focusing on specific aspects of plant breeding:

• Unit I: History of Plant Breeding, Objectives of Plant Breeding, Domestication, and Genetic Basis of Breeding.
• Unit II: Selection in Self and Cross-Pollinated Crops, Genetic Basis of Breeding, Plant Introduction, and Germplasm Conservation.
• Unit III: Breeding Methods for Self-Pollinated and Cross-Pollinated Crops, including Mass Selection, Pedigree Breeding, Bulk Breeding, Single Seed Descent, and Backcross Breeding.
• Unit IV: Special Breeding Methods, including In Vitro Selection Techniques, Mutation Breeding, Polyploidy Breeding, and Distant Hybridization.

Critical Reception

There is no specific critical reception available for this book as it is a textbook aimed at students and researchers in the field of plant breeding. However, the book's comprehensive coverage of plant breeding principles and practices makes it a valuable resource for those studying or working in the field.

In summary, "Principles and Practice of Plant Breeding" by J. R. Sharma is a detailed and structured textbook that covers all aspects of plant breeding, from the fundamental principles to advanced breeding methods. Its comprehensive coverage makes it an essential resource for students and researchers in plant breeding.