*MUDRA* Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams.

Of UGC-CSIR

Section B and C

Volume-25

Contents

12. APPLIED BIOLOGY:

F. BREEDING IN PLANTS AND ANIMALS, INCLUDING MARKER-
ASSISTED SELECTION

1. PLANT BREEDING 1

2. MARKER ASSISTED SELECTION 39

3. ANIMAL BREEDING 47

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12. APPLIED BIOLOGY

1. PLANT BREEDING

BULK POPULATION BREEDING METHOD

The multiplicity of material and extensive record keeping in pedigree method makes it
practically difficult for the breeders to handle large number of crosses at a point of time. The
advancement of segregating generations through random bulk of seed especially in first few
generations has since long been recognized as a handy alternative to the pedigree method.
Nilsson-Ehle is credited for the use of bulk method for the first time to combine winter hardiness
and high yield in wheat (Newman, 1912). The terminology of bulk population method, however,
was adopted after the publication of a methodical paper by Florell (1929). Since then bulk
method has received wide application and undue criticism as well, much of which appears to be
engendered by its presumed synonymity with 'evolutionary' and 'composite' methods of breeding
both of which are frequently mistaken to be same as bulk method. Before elaboration of these
methods in later section of this chapter, it is pertinent to point out here that bulk method refers to
advancement of segregating generations from F2 to F6/7 generations without artificial selection.
The evolutionary method envisages a prolonged perpetuation of such crosses over large number
(30-40) of generations under the influence of natural selection. The 'composite breeding' method
also stipulates prolonged multiplication of bulks which are developed from crosses of a wide
range of germplasm.

The bulk method is essentially a short term, time and labor saving practical breeding
procedure for the management of segregating generations to attain sufficient level of
homozygosity prior to the initiation of individual plant selection. The 'evolutionary breeding
method' of Suneson (1956), on the other hand, is a prolonged or stretched bulk method to
improve the overall worth of a group or the population as a whole through the selective influence
of natural selection. The basic differences between these two emerge firstly from the time
element between the synthesis of population and initiation of selection and secondly from the
role of natural selection. The composite method of Harlan and Martini (1929) and Jensen (1978)
is a general term contributing to parts of the above two proposals and represents populations
involving wide range of germplasm and generations of bulking usually referred to as mass
method; mass selection; bulk hybrid' bulk population; mass pedigree; evolutionary breeding;

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*MUDRA* Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

mass reservoirs; composite crosses; composite hybrid mixtures etc. Such populations involve
indefinite filial generations during which natural selection plays a predominant role in
determining their ultimate genetic status. In terms of time frame the evolutionary method
resembles composite breeding with seemingly queer difference with respect to nature of
germplasm involved in their synthesis. So bulk method is a breeding procedure of low F-status
which represents a viable alternative to relatively costly pedigree method for the evaluation of a
large number of crosses. The evolutionary method, on the other hand, is a long term population
management method which is purported to serve as adjunct rather than replacement of any of the
conventional plant breeding methods. The term composite breeding has emerged from the
concept of evolutionary method and is being used for long range or extended bulks with wide
options regarding the type of germplasm, generation of selection and ultimate use.

1. THE PROCEDURE OF BULK METHOD

A large F2 population of several thousand plants is grown at conventional planting rates

which are in contrast to the pedigree method. At maturity all the plants are harvested in bulk and
total seed is collected out of which a random sample is taken to grow approximately same area in
next season i.e. in F3 generation.

First year A B - Cross the purposely selected parents

.... ... ... ...
Second year .. .. .. .. - Grow F1 plants alongwith parents
Ra (F1) . . . . - Rogue out self plants
- Harvest sufficient F2 seed
Third to
PR fifth year .. .. .. .. .. .. .. - Grow about 1000 F2 plants at conventional spacing
.. . . . . . .
M (F2-F4) .. ... ... ... ... ... ... - Harvest in bulk and take composite sample of seed
Hi and repeat the process
Sc Sixth year
Bc .. . . . .
... ... ... ...
- Space plant bulk F5 seed
..
Tr (F5) - Select desirable plants
Cl
W - Harvest each selected plant individually
. . ... ... .
... ... ...
- Grow single plant progeny rows
Seventh - Select uniform and promising progenies
. .
M
year
(F6)
.. .. .. .. .. - Bulk harvest each selected progeny separately

1 ... .. .. ... ... .. ... - Conduct preliminary yield trial to reduce the
2 Eighth to .. .. . . . .. . number of F7 progenies
3 tenth year .. .. ... ... ... . ... - Repeat the test over locations to further reduce
(F1-F9) . . . . . . . the number of lines
- Select the best line or gruop of similar lines
as new variety
Fig.1: The bulk method of handling segregating generations

Normally the same procedure is followed uninterrupted upto F5 or F6 generation till

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*MUDRA* Life Sciences For NET & SET Exams. Of UGC-CSIR

sufficient level of homozygosity is not attained. During all these years natural selection is
allowed to exert its influence, if any, to eliminate agronomically undesirable genotypes. As such,
there is no attempt for artificial selection or to grow the material in off-season nurseries which
may lead to loss of certain genotypes only on account of abnormal environmental conditions in
the off-season. If, however, the off-season environment is expected to either reduce fitness of
agronomically undesirable traits or even leave the characters unaffected, the generation can be
advanced by taking two or more crops per year. Artificial selection is not conducted but there is
no reason to loose sight of opportunity to improve the economic worth of population especially
through negative selection for qualitative defects like susceptibility to diseases, late maturity etc.
Even Nilsson-Ehle, the founding father of this method, helped natural selection in his bulk
method, by discarding plants with winter damage which would have continued to produce at
least some quantity of seed for several years. Florell (1929) also suggested that artificial
selection towards a definite type may be practiced to eliminate weak and undesirable plants. The
use of artificially created environmental conditions can be made to exert specific type of
selection pressure like that of incidence of diseases and pests. The single plant selection may be
initiated any time in between F5-F8 generation but that generation must be grown as space
planted for better expression of potential of the individual plants as well as sufficient genetic
variation which is usually suppressed under influence of interplant competition in thick planting.
The plants are selected and evaluated in next generation like those in the pedigree method. The
seed of individual plant is not sufficient for replicated yield trials so the growing of progeny rows
serves the twin purpose of seed increase and also to reject some potentially less productive
progenies by visual observation. Hence after the procedure for yield testing, multiplication and
release of selections as new cultivars is essentially the same as in pedigree method.

The number of years of bulking and the population size are critical issues that may
influence the outcome of bulk method. The choice of generation of selection generally is
optional that can be initiated any time between F2 to F8. An early initiation can face the
consequences of residual heterozygosity affecting the performance of selected plants as well as
uniformity of progenies. Mac Key (1964) suggested to select plants in F2 and rebulk with
selection in F8. Qualset and Vogt (1980) advocated that number of generations for selecting and
bulking be small perhaps not more than three. Jensen (1988) suggested selection for desirable
segregants like short height (if desirable), disease resistance and maturity in F1 or F2 for ..

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