Plant breeding

Introduction
History
Goals
- Increase of yield
- Modifications of range and constitution
Evaluation of plants
- Qualitative characters
- Quantitative characters
Methods of plant breeding
- Mating systems
- Breeding self-pollinated species
  - Mass selection
  - Pure-line selection
  - Hybridization
  - Hybrid varieties
- Breeding cross-pollinated species
  - Mass selection
  - Hybrid varieties
  - Synthetic varieties
- Distribution and maintenance of new varieties

References & Edit History Related Topics

Images & Videos

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Related Questions

How are transgenic plant cells grown into complete plants?
How can a single natural mutation create a new plant variety?
How can hybrid vigour increase the yield and uniformity of crop plants?
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How does plant breeding contribute to global food security?
How does pure-line selection produce a new crop variety?
How does self-incompatibility prevent some plants from pollinating themselves?
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What selection takes place in the F2 generation of a pedigree breeding program?
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Why can heirloom plants be useful genetic resources for modern plant breeders?
Why can synthetic varieties provide farmers with usable seed in later growing seasons?
Why did Norman Borlaug receive the 1970 Nobel Peace Prize?
Why did earlier-maturing grain sorghum allow the crop to be grown farther north in the United States?
Why did genetically varied land varieties provide useful material for early pure-line selection?
Why do breeders consider a crop’s time to maturity?
Why do plant breeders cross plants with different desirable traits?
Why do plant breeders focus more on selecting between families by the F5 generation?
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Why is breeding disease-resistant crop varieties an important form of pest control?
Why is controlled hybrid seed production often time-consuming and expensive?
Why is it easier to produce hybrid corn seed than hybrid seed for many other crops?
Why is resistance to salty soil valuable in crop plants?
Why is uniform maturity important for mechanically harvested tomatoes and peas?
Why must plant breeders prevent unwanted pollen from reaching a selected female flower?

Technology Agriculture & Agricultural Technology

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Plant breeding

agriculture

Written by

R.W. Allard

Emeritus Professor of Genetics, University of California, Davis. Author of Principles of Plant Breeding.

R.W. Allard

Fact-checked by

Britannica Editors

Encyclopaedia Britannica's editors oversee subject areas in which they have extensive knowledge, whether from years of experience gained by working on that content or via study for an advanced degree....

Britannica Editors

Last updated

Nov. 3, 2026 •History

Plant breeding, application of genetic principles to produce plants that are more useful to humans. This is accomplished by selecting plants found to be economically or aesthetically desirable, first by controlling the mating of selected individuals, and then by selecting certain individuals among the progeny. Such processes, repeated over many generations, can change the hereditary makeup and value of a plant population far beyond the natural limits of previously existing populations. This article emphasizes the...

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