UNIVERSITY OF AGRICULTURE FAISALABAD

Assignment:
Pbg-507
Germplasm Resources of Field Crops
Submitted by:
Ayesha Ashraf
2018-ag-7396
5th semester
Plant Breeding and Genetics
Submitted to:
Dr Zaheer Ahmad

Germplasm :
Germplasm is the lifeblood of plant breeding without which
breeding is impossible to conduct. It is the magnetic material
that can be used to perpetuate a species or population. It not
only has reproductive value, but through genetic manipulation
(plant breeding)
 germplasm can be improved for better performance of the
crop.
 Germplasm provides the materials (parents)
Classification of germplasm:
Germplasm may be classified into five major types:
Advanced (elite) germplasm, improved germplasm, landraces,
wild or weedy relatives, and genetic stocks.
The major sources of variability for plant breeders may also be
categorized into three broad groups –
 domesticated plants
 undomesticated plants
 other species or genera.
 Domesticated plants:
Domesticated plants are those plant materials that are grown for
food or other uses. There are various types of such material:
1. Commercial cultivar:
 current cultivars
 retired or obsolete cultivars.
2. Obsolete cultivars:
The obsolete cultivars were taken out of commercial production.
3. Breeding materials:
These intermediate breeding products are usually genetically
narrow-based because they originate from a small number of
genotypes or populations.
4. Landraces:
Landraces are farmer-developed and maintained cultivars. They
are developed over very long periods and have co-adapted gene
complexes.
They are adapted to the growing region and are often highly
heterogeneous.
They are adapted to unfavorable conditions
Genetic stock
5. Genetics stock:
This consists of products of specialized genetic manipulations by
researchers (e.g., by using mutagenesis to generate various
chromosomal and genomic mutants).
Undomesticated plants:
When desired genes are not found in domesticated cultivars,
plant breeders may seek them from wild populations. When wild
plants are used in crosses, they may introduce wild traits that
have an advantage for survival in the wild.
Other species and genera:
Crossings involving parents from within a species is usually
successful and unproblematic.wide crosses is less successful.
Wild (exotic) germplasm:
Cross incompatibility between the wild and cultivated species
often occurs a successful cross often results in F1 hybrid sterility
and subsequent infertility of the segregating generations.
Further, crosses exhibit reduced recombination between the
wild and cultivated chromosomes