Britannica
Sources used in this answer
How does pure-line selection produce a new crop variety?
Created from Britannica articles
using AI.
AI can make mistakes, so verify using Britannica articles.
Plant breeding
Triticale is a hybrid of rye and wheat.
Pure-line selection is a method used in plant breeding to develop new crop varieties from genetically variable populations. The process generally involves three distinct steps:
- Selection: Numerous superior-appearing plants are identified and selected from a genetically variable population.1
- Observation: The progenies of these individual plants are grown and evaluated through simple observation, often over several years.1
- Trialing: Once selection can no longer be based on observation alone, the remaining candidates undergo extensive trials. These involve careful measurements to determine if they are superior in yield and other performance aspects compared to existing varieties.1
Any progeny that demonstrates superiority is then released as a new "pure-line" variety. Additionally, this method can involve the selection of single-chance variants, mutations, or "sports"—such as plants with different colors, disease resistance, or dwarf characteristics—that naturally occur within an original variety. While this method was highly successful in the early 1900s, it is now primarily used for less important species that have not yet undergone heavy selection.1