THINK QUESTIONS Chapter 1: Introduction Chapter 2: Modes Of
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THINK QUESTIONS Chapter 1: Introduction (1) Different crop species originated in different regions of the world. List the centres of origin of the following ten crop species: Onion (Allium spp), Alfalfa (Medicago sativa), Rice (Oryza sativa), Potato (Solanum tuberosum), Soybean (Glycine max), Millet (Eleusine coracana), Cotton (Gossypium spp.), Sunflower (Helianthus spp.), Wheat (Triticum spp.), and Apple (Malus spp.). (2) A combination of natural selection, and selection directed by plant breeders (early and modern) has influenced the crops we now grow. List five characteristics that mankind has selected which would not have been selected by a process of natural evolution (3) ‘The yield of many crops species has risen dramatically over the last 50 years. This has been the direct result of plant breeding during this period and hence the trend is likely to continue over the next 50 years’. Briefly discuss this statement. (4) ‘The place of origin of crops, their history and evolution are events from the past and therefore have no relevance to modern plant breeding’ True or False? Discuss your answer. (5) Many believe that civilization (of humans) started with the beginnings of agriculture. Basically there are two forms of agriculture: (1) rearing animals for meat, milk etc. and (2) raising crops for human or animal feed. No one knows which form of agriculture evolved first (or maybe both types started together). Explain why (in your opinion) one form came before the other or both forms evolved at the same time. (6) A combination of natural selection, and selection directed by plant breeders (early and modern) have influenced the crops we now grow. Have modern plant breeders improved the genetic fitness of our agricultural crop species, or have they simply selected plant types that are more suited to modern agricultural systems? (7) A tremendous amount of plant diversity exists within Australia. Why, therefore, are there few Australian aboriginal farmers, and almost none of today’s world crop species had their centre of origin in the Australian continent? (8) You are drifting your way through life when there is a crash and a tremendous flash of light, and from nowhere an alien space ship lands. The alien, speaking perfect English, says “I bring to you a gift; the Universe's most productive and perfect crop species”. Thereafter the alien gives you a bag of 200 seeds, returns to the space craft and whoosh, it's gone. Describe what you would do with the seeds and what information you would collect that would allow you to develop new cultivars from these seeds. Chapter 2: Modes of Reproduction and Types of Cultivar (1) Complete the following table by assigning a YES or NO to each of the 16 cells. Pure-line Open Hybrid Clonal cultivar pollinated cultivar cultivar cultivar Are these cultivars comprised of only one single genotype? Is heterosis a major yield factor in resulting cultivars? Are resulting cultivars propagated by means of botanical seeds? Can the seed, or plant parts, of a cultivar be used for its own propagation? (2) Inbreeding and out-breeding species tend to have different characteristics. Explain factors that would determine if a given species should be classified as inbreeding or out-breeding. (3) A number of different cultivar types are available in agriculture. Outline the major features of the following cultivar types: a.Hybrid cultivars; b. Pure-line cultivars; c. Clonal cultivars; d. Multiline cultivars; e. Open-pollinated cultivars and f. Synthetic cultivars. (4) List two inbreeding crop species and two out-breeding crop species that have been exploited as (q) pure-line cultivars; (b) open pollinated cultivars; (c) hybrid cultivars; (d) clonal cultivars; (e) Multiline cultivars and (f) synthetic cultivars. (5) Describe the major features of the following types of apomixis: Diplospory; Semigamy; Parthenogenesis; Apospory. (6) List five different plant parts that can be used for asexual reproduction. Chapter 3: Breeding Objectives (1) Explain the difference between vertical and horizontal disease resistance and outline the advantages or disadvantages of each form of resistance as it relates to cultivar development. (2) Outline the major features involved in selecting for end-use quality and indicate any particular problems that breeding for improved quality might cause. (3) When breeding new cultivars it is often necessary to try and predict events that may occur in the future. Briefly outline four factors which may influence cultivar breeding and hence need to be considered in setting the breeding objectives of a cultivar development programme. (4) In plant breeding, two main disease resistance mechanisms exist, inhibition of infection and inhibition of growth after infection. Explain each of these mechanisms. (5) Choose any agricultural/horticultural crop (e.g. wheat, barley, potato, apple, hops, etc.) and outline a set of breeding objectives to be used to develop new cultivars. Indicate potential markets for the new cultivars. (6) Explain, using examples as necessary, the meaning of the terms plant tolerance and plant escape in relation to pest and disease resistance and plant breeding. (7) Four loci affecting powdery mildew disease have been identified at which single, dominant, disease resistance alleles (coded, A, B, C, and D) each offer complete immunity to a specific race of powdery mildew (with alleles a, b, c and d each showing susceptibility) . Virulence genes have also been identified in the pest (A’ a', B’, b', C’, c', and D’, d'). Given the information below, indicate whether each genotype would be resistant or susceptible to the disease. Plant genotype Mildew genotype Plant response AAbbCCdd A'a'B'B'c'C'd'd' AaBbCcDd A'a'B'b'C'c'D'd' aaBBccDD A'A'b'b'C'c'd'd' Aabbccdd A'A'B'B'C'C'D'D' (8) You have been offered a job as Senior Plant Breeder with the ‘Dryeye Onion Company’ in Southern Idaho. Your first task in this new position is to set breeding objectives for onion cultivar development over the next 12 years. Outline the main points to be considered when setting your breeding objectives; indicate what questions you would like answered to enhance the breeding objectives you will set. What might be the main sources of information that you would use to arrive at your response? Chapter 4: Breeding Schemes (1) Disease resistance to powdery mildew has been identified in a primitive, uncultivated species which is related to cultivated barley (Hordeum vulgare). Research has shown that the resistance is controlled by a single dominant allele (notation = RR). There is a resistance screen test available which shows 100% reliability. Diagrammatically, outline a breeding scheme that could be used to introgress this character into an existing cultivar (‘Golden Promise’) which is susceptible to powdery mildew (notation = rr). The aim is for the resulting resistant lines to comprise at least 96% of the Golden Promise genotype. Consider now that the disease resistance is controlled by a single recessive allele, how would this effect the breeding method you have described above. (2) Crop cultivars can be divided into pure-line cultivars, open-pollinated populations, hybrid cultivars or clonal cultivars. Briefly, describe the major problems that can be encountered or the attributes of the crop types that can be utilized, when breeding: a pure-line cultivar; a open-pollinated population; a hybrid cultivar and a clonal cultivar. (3) You have been appointed as alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) breeder to develop crops for the Alfred Alfoncia Seed Company Ltd. Outline a suitable breeding scheme you will use to develop superior synthetic cultivars for your new employer. Show each stage of the scheme on a year-by-year basis. After several rounds of clonal selection, you have identified 4 potential highly productive parent lines for developing a new synthetic (lines are coded as A, B, C and D). Hybrid seed was produced from all two-parent cross combinations possible and these were evaluated in yield trials along with the parent lines. From the yield (Kg) results (below) indicate the three parent synthetic most likely to be highest yielding and state the expected yield. Parent A = 18; Parent B = 22; Parent C = 21; Parent D = 25 (4) Outline three characteristics of a crop species that would merit consideration before developing hybrid cultivars from that species. (5) Outline the advantages and disadvantages of a bulk breeding scheme and a pedigree breeding scheme to develop pure-line cultivars Many breeding schemes for pure-lines are a combination of bulk and pedigree schemes. Design a suitable bulk/pedigree breeding scheme (it is not necessary to make notes on when specific characters are selected) that could be used to develop superior pure-line cultivars. Outline any advantages or disadvantages of your breeding scheme. (6) A hybrid breeding programme has identified six superior inbred lines (A, B, C, D, and E) which were inter-crossed in all combinations and the F 1 progenies evaluated for productivity in a field yield trial. The results from each single cross in the trial were: A x B = 60 A x C = 65 A x D = 51 B x C = 63 B x D = 61 B x E = 59 C x E = 42 C x F = 37 D x E = 52 A x B = 60 A x C = 65 A x D = 51 B x C = 63 B x D = 61 B x E = 59 Which parent combination will provide the most productive single cross hybrid and what would the expected yield be? Which parent combination will provide the most productive three-way cross hybrid and what would the expected yield be? Which parent combination will provide the most productive double cross hybrid and what would the expected yield be? Explain why the most productive double cross combination (from the prediction equation), may not result in the most commercially suited hybrid cultivar.