Plant biotechnology
Lecture 8- Plant biotechnology and its role in plant
improvement
Human-plant relationship
• Plants provide:
- Oxygen
- Food
- Fiber Modified plant genomes for thousands of years
- Shelter
- Medicine
- Fuel
- Relaxation
The myth of natural food
• Humans provide: The food we eat comes from plants already extensively modified
- CO2 from their original form. Even heritage varieties are extensively
- Protection genetically modified
- Planting
- Ensure biodiversity
, Outcome of domestication
Domesticating plants
• Permanent civilization
What is domestication? • Start of agriculture and predictable food production
• Production of more food
• Evolutionary process, involving long-term and continuous
change of plant populations, directed by deliberate human • Tool development and production
intervention Genetic modification arose as a consequence of cultivation
• Process of genetically adapting a plant to suit the needs of
Planting seeds from “good” plants increased their representation
humans
in subsequent generations
• A domesticated plant - changed from its natural state + can
no longer grow/reproduce without human intervention
When and where
• People first domesticated plants about
10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia
• “Cradle of civilization” – Fertile
Crescent. Home to 8 founder crops
important in early agriculture (wild
progenitors to wheat, einkorn, barley,
flax, chickpea, pea, lentil, bitter vetch)
,During maize domestication cob size increased • Seed dispersal
• Fruit and flower synchronization
• Stunted growth
• Limit branching
• Improved taste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Qly-VQfbo
Traits targeted during domestication
Many of our crops are products of extensive genomic
rearrangements
Polyploid (multi-genome) plants are often bigger and so selected
for propagation
Common wheat is the result of interspecific hybridization between
three ancestors
, Mendel and Darwin paved the way for specific plant breeding Improved green-revolution plants led to dramatically
increased crop yields
The introduction of disease-resistant, semi-dwarf varieties turning
countries from grain importers to grain exporters
Dwarf wheat was developed at CIMMYT – the International Maize
and Wheat Improvement Centre
The development of hybrid corn led to a big increase in yields
The progeny of two genetically diZerent
parents often shows enhanced growth –
this eZect is termed “hybrid vigor”
Advances in genetic technologies contribute to improved
Norman Borlaug was a plat breeder, and “father of the green
plants
revolution”
• Marker assisted selection
One of the most significant accomplishments of the 20th century
• Molecular breeding and mapping tools are developed for
science was the development of lodging-resistant, high-yielding
many species
semi-dwarf grain varieties
• Genome-wide association studies help match genes to
traits
• Genome sequence data are available for more than 181
plant species
• Recombinant DNA technology and transgenic plants
Lecture 8- Plant biotechnology and its role in plant
improvement
Human-plant relationship
• Plants provide:
- Oxygen
- Food
- Fiber Modified plant genomes for thousands of years
- Shelter
- Medicine
- Fuel
- Relaxation
The myth of natural food
• Humans provide: The food we eat comes from plants already extensively modified
- CO2 from their original form. Even heritage varieties are extensively
- Protection genetically modified
- Planting
- Ensure biodiversity
, Outcome of domestication
Domesticating plants
• Permanent civilization
What is domestication? • Start of agriculture and predictable food production
• Production of more food
• Evolutionary process, involving long-term and continuous
change of plant populations, directed by deliberate human • Tool development and production
intervention Genetic modification arose as a consequence of cultivation
• Process of genetically adapting a plant to suit the needs of
Planting seeds from “good” plants increased their representation
humans
in subsequent generations
• A domesticated plant - changed from its natural state + can
no longer grow/reproduce without human intervention
When and where
• People first domesticated plants about
10,000 years ago in Mesopotamia
• “Cradle of civilization” – Fertile
Crescent. Home to 8 founder crops
important in early agriculture (wild
progenitors to wheat, einkorn, barley,
flax, chickpea, pea, lentil, bitter vetch)
,During maize domestication cob size increased • Seed dispersal
• Fruit and flower synchronization
• Stunted growth
• Limit branching
• Improved taste
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5Qly-VQfbo
Traits targeted during domestication
Many of our crops are products of extensive genomic
rearrangements
Polyploid (multi-genome) plants are often bigger and so selected
for propagation
Common wheat is the result of interspecific hybridization between
three ancestors
, Mendel and Darwin paved the way for specific plant breeding Improved green-revolution plants led to dramatically
increased crop yields
The introduction of disease-resistant, semi-dwarf varieties turning
countries from grain importers to grain exporters
Dwarf wheat was developed at CIMMYT – the International Maize
and Wheat Improvement Centre
The development of hybrid corn led to a big increase in yields
The progeny of two genetically diZerent
parents often shows enhanced growth –
this eZect is termed “hybrid vigor”
Advances in genetic technologies contribute to improved
Norman Borlaug was a plat breeder, and “father of the green
plants
revolution”
• Marker assisted selection
One of the most significant accomplishments of the 20th century
• Molecular breeding and mapping tools are developed for
science was the development of lodging-resistant, high-yielding
many species
semi-dwarf grain varieties
• Genome-wide association studies help match genes to
traits
• Genome sequence data are available for more than 181
plant species
• Recombinant DNA technology and transgenic plants
