Efficiency in publishing the results of plant breeding research

In the writer's opinion there is a need for more efficient publication on plant breeding subjects and for new specialized journals of international significance.He considers Euphytica as an experiment. In his imagination he sees in the future some new periodicals on plant breeding, published in English, and national as concerns editors and contributors. An international journal on plant breeding with translations of important articles (Japanese, Russian, Italian, Spanish, etc.) in English would fill a need.

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Samenvatting Naar schrijvers mening zal men terwille van een efficiënte publikatie van het veredelingsonderzoek meer en meer moeten overgaan tot het stichten van vaktijdschriften voor plantenveredeling.Schrijver beschouwt Euphytica als een experiment. In zijn fantasie ziet hij in verschillende landen in niet al te verre toekomst een aantal nieuwe vaktijdschriften in de Engelse taal, doch wat redactie en medewerkers betreft nationaal georiënteerd, en een internationaal tijdschrift met vertalingen van belangrijke artikelen op veredelingsgebied (Japans, Russisch, Italiaans, Spaans, etc.) in het Engels. Voor de verbreding en verdieping van de plantenveredeling als tak van wetenschap zou dit van betekenis zijn.

     

从中美育种体制比较谈种业体制改革

育种体制制约了当前种业的发展,本文比较中美在育种分工、育种投入、育种评价、育种科研成果知识产权归属和育种科研成果转化机制5方面的差距,并提出将公共育种定位于“基础创新者、填空补漏者,服务提供者”的角色,改革现有农业科技投资体制,将公共育种和商业育种分开,加大基因工程、前育种等基础研究比重,减少应用性研究投资比重,科学设置科研考评指标,健全公共财政资助开发的农业科研成果归属和利益分享制度,完善各种形式的科研转化机制。     

Evidence of scientific research on organic plant breeding: A bibliometric study

Use of varieties bred under organic conditions is essential in order to minimize the yield gap between organic and conventional agriculture. The aim of this study was to analyse research publications related to the topic ‘organic plant breeding’ from the Web of Science database using bibliometric science mapping and visualization tools. The number of analysed documents in the bibliographic dataset was 204 from the 53 sources. The overall trend in the organic plant breeding literature showed that the number of publications increased during the observed time-span. We found that in total, 65 countries and 337 institutions are active in the field of organic plant breeding with a high degree of international collaboration. The top five countries according to the number of publications were the United States, Italy, Germany, France, and Canada, while the most active institutions were Wageningen University, Iowa State University, University of Alberta, University of Copenhagen, and University of Hohenheim. All keywords from the organic plant breeding research in the agronomy category were separated into seven clusters for different research topics. Although there is evident progress viewed through the increased trend in the number of publications, organic plant breeding needs further expansion and development. This is especially through the implementation of novel plant breeding techniques and methods aiming to improve traits that are highly specific to organic conditions.     

Decentralized-participatory plant breeding: an example of demand driven research

It is widely recognized that conventional plant breeding has been more beneficial to farmers in high-potential environments or those who can profitably modify their environment to suit new cultivars, than to the poorest farmers who cannot afford to modify their environment through the application of additional inputs and cannot risk the replacement of their traditional, well known and reliable varieties. As a consequence, low yields, crop failures, malnutrition, famine, and eventually poverty still affect a large proportion of humanity. Participatory plant breeding (PPB) is seen by several scientists as a way to overcome the limitations of conventional breeding by offering farmers the possibility to choose, in their own environment, which varieties suit better their needs and conditions. PPB exploits the potential gains of breeding for specific adaptation through decentralized selection, defined as selection in the target environment, and is the ultimate conceptual consequence of a positive interpretation of genotype × environment interactions. The paper describes a model of PPB developed by The International Center for Agricultural Research in the Dry Areas and used successfully in several countries in West Asia and North Africa. Genetic variability is generated by breeders, selection is conducted jointly by breeders, farmers, and extension specialists in a number of target environments, and the best selections are used in further cycles of recombination and selection. Technically, the process is similar to conventional breeding, with three main differences. Testing and selection take place on-farm rather than on-station, key decisions are taken jointly by farmers and the breeder, and the process can be independently implemented at a large number of locations. The model also incorporates seed production. Farmers handle the initial phases, multiplying promising breeding material in village-based seed production systems. The PPB model is flexible; it can generate populations, pure lines, and eventually mixtures of pure lines in self-pollinated crops; as well as hybrids, populations, and synthetics in cross-pollinated crops. PPB has several advantages. New varieties reach the release phase much faster than in conventional breeding, and are better suited to farmers’ needs and willingness to invest in inputs and management. Release and seed multiplication activities concentrate on varieties known to be farmer-acceptable. These advantages are particularly relevant to developing countries where large investments in plant breeding have not yielded returns, and many “improved” varieties developed through conventional breeding are not adopted by farmers. PPB also ensures that biodiversity is maintained or increased because different varieties are selected at different locations. In addition to the economical benefits, participatory research has a number of psychological, moral, and ethical benefits, which are the consequence of a progressive empowerment of the farmers’ communities; these benefits affect sectors of their life beyond the agricultural aspects. In conclusion, PPB, as a case of demand driven research, gives voice to farmers, including those who have been traditionally the most marginalized such as the women, and elevates local knowledge to the role of science.     

Correlations in plant breeding

Even small correlations between seedling and adult characters can be used for seedling selection. Even small correlations between desirable adult characters alter considerably the necessary progeny size.     

Horticultural plant breeding in the Netherlands

Summary Since the 16th century horticulture developed relatively early and rapidly in the Netherlands, and in the growing centres of vegetables and ornamentals a great number of highly improved varieties were produced by professional growers. A number of new fruit varieties was raised by professional men or by amateurs.During the last ten or twenty years science is being incorporated more and more into horticultural plant breeding. In ornamentals and vegetables this takes the form of cooperation between professional breeders and scientific institutions, in fruit the breeding work is mainly done by institutions.     

植物染色体C-显带技术及其在小麦育种中的应用研究进展

本文就染色体C－显带技术及其在小麦近缘种属中的核型分析、亲缘关系和染色体组进化及外源染色质的鉴定等方面国内外研究新近动态做一简述和探讨。     

Family selection in plant breeding

Summary Plant breeding programmes rarely take explicit practical account of the two sources of genetic variance, namely between and within full-sib families, even though existence of these two sources of variation has long been recognised. This paper refers to inbred and clonal crops, not to outbred, seed-propagated species. Theory suggests that the two variances should be of similar size, sometimes very similar. Good comparisons have never been made because variance within families is laborious to estimate. It is proposed that sets of families be assayed as to means in formal trials and only the best few, judged against standards as having potential for superior segregates, should be exploited thoroughly. The calculation as to approximate equality of genetic variances between and within families is important. The vast majority of families should probably be discarded without further ado, and at considerable economy. Sensible decision-making requires an economic component in order to exploit the trade-off between the cost of the initial trial and families discarded without further cost. The object of this paper is a critical review of practical principles, not a general review of a large and diffuse literature.     

Participatory plant breeding research: Opportunities and challenges for the international crop improvement system

This paper describes the current state of international plant breeding research and explains why the centralized global approach to germplasm improvement that was so successful in the past is today being transformed by the incorporation of decentralized local breeding methods designed to better incorporate the perspective of end users into the varietal development process. It describes international breeding efforts for major crops and identifies factors that have contributed to the success of the international breeding system; discusses shortcomings of the global approach to plant breeding and explains why future successes will depend critically on researchers' ability to incorporate the knowledge and preferences of technology users; reviews a number of farmer participatory research methods that are currently being tested by plant breeding programs throughout the developing world; describes synergies that can potentially be achieved by linking centralized global and decentralized local breeding models; and discusses technical, economic, and institutional challenges that will have to be overcome to integrate end user-based participatory approaches into the international plant breeding system. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Some remarks on the breeding of field crops in the Netherlands

Summary In the Netherlands the home-bred varieties are developed almost entirely by private establishments. The Government institutes (Institute of Agricultural Plant Breeding and Foundation for Agricultural Plant Breeding) at Wageningen give advice to the breeders of field crops.The private plant breeders are informed of the results obtained and the working methods. They receive plant material for their breeding programme.The List of Varieties is the reference guide not only for the farmers but also to the plant breeders and the seedsmen. In the case of field crops it forms the basis for the seed inspection. A close connection exists between the breeding, variety-list and seed inspection.     

南瓜属作物育种研究进展

从南瓜属作物种质资源、遗传规律、各种育种技术的应用、单性结实、品质育种、抗性育种方面的研究情况对南瓜属作物育种研究进展进行了综述，并提出了育种方向。     

Subset selection in plant breeding practive

Summary Selection decisions in variety testing should partly be based on statistical motives. Useful tools for this are subset selection procedures. These procedures can also be used when the performed experiment has an incomplete block design or when a series of regional trials is studied. Various selection rules serve different selection goals, but they all need so-called selection constants. Often, these constants have to be approximated by computer simulation. For this simulation, and also for the execution of the selection rules, software has been developed and is available. Some practical adjustments and modifications of subset selection in plant breeding practice are proposed. Finally, a case study of selection in sugar beet is presented.     

Impact of plant genetic resources on wheat breeding

This article describes the impact of plant genetic resources on wheat breeding. It defines the important contribution of N.I. Vavilov Institute (St. Petersburg, Russia) to broadening the genetic diversity of new wheat cultivars. Special attention is given to conducting a comprehensive evaluation of intraspecific variability for valuable characters, including: 1) formation of special subcollections, consisting of accessions with useful characters and accessions representing intraspecies diversity for a given character; 2) revealing genetic differences among phenotypically superior accessions; 3) determining a genetic system of intraspecific variability for a given character; 4) formation of a genetic collection; 5) revealing and developing the donors of useful characters. An example using plant height shows that the proposed research approach adequately determines the genetic potential of species and reveals the most effective genes for practical uses. It is assumed that the main sources of genes for breeding Triticum aestivum L. in order of importance will remain: 1) intraspecific diversity of T. aestivum itself; 2) other Triticum species; 3) other genera of the Triticeae Dum. tribe (particularly Aegilops L.); 4) more remote genera of the Poaceae Barnh. botanical family. It is stressed that existing diversity of T. aestivum has been poorly investigated genetically and only partially used by breeders. Properly evaluated, it can provide multiple solutions for traditional and new problems of wheat improvement. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Recent applications of metabolomics in plant breeding

Metabolites play a central role in maintaining organismal life and in defining crop phenotypes, such as nutritional value, fragrance, color, and stress resistance. Among the ‘omes’ in biology, the metabolome is the closest to the phenotype. Consequently, metabolomics has been applied to crop improvement as method for monitoring changes in chemical compositions, clarifying the mechanisms underlying cellular functions, discovering markers and diagnostics, and phenotyping for mQTL, mGWAS, and metabolite-genome predictions. In this review, 359 reports of the most recent applications of metabolomics to plant breeding-related studies were examined. In addition to the major crops, more than 160 other crops including rare medicinal plants were considered. One bottleneck associated with using metabolomics is the wide array of instruments that are used to obtain data and the ambiguity associated with metabolite identification and quantification. To further the application of metabolomics to plant breeding, the features and perspectives of the technology are discussed.