Course overview
This course aims to introduce students to the fundamental concepts of plant breeding and plant adaptation that are applicable to agricultural and natural systems. Topics covered include: genetic diversity in relation to adaptation, productivity, pest and disease resistance, sustainable agricultural practices and end-use quality; strategies for setting breeding objectives and maximising selection and improvement of key traits; and; breeding methodologies for self or cross-pollinated plants. Students will learn from industry leaders in the plant breeding discipline, including those in broad-acre cropping and horticulture.
- Novel Variation
- Self-Pollination
- Horticultural Plant Breeding
- Markers and Genomic Selection
- High-throughput Trait Phenotyping (HTTP) in Plant Breeding
- Breeding for Disease Resistance
- Performance Evaluation (GxE and its influence on breeding)
- Cultivar Release and Commercialisation
- Introduction to Plant Breeding
- Plant Reproduction
- Genetic Diversity and Resources
Course learning outcomes
- Describe sources and types of genetic variation and explain their importance for plant improvement
- Describe the progression of stages within a modern breeding programme from the setting of breeding objectives, through the development and implementation of breeding strategies to the commercialisation of plant varieties and the protection of intellectual property
- Describe methods that are used in plant breeding and judge which plant breeding methods are appropriate for specific objectives and situations
- Locate, analyse, evaluate and synthesise plant breeding information to formulate and communicate a justifiable plan for the application of plant breeding methods to achieve a specific objective
- Understand how to perform specific plant breeding activities, such as selection of parental germplasm, observation and recording of phenotypic variation and selection among progeny
Degree list
The following degrees include this course