General article on the history of plant breeding (Author: Prashant B. Kale (Ph.D.))

 General article on the history of plant breeding

Author: Prashant B. Kale (Ph.D.)

The history and milestones of plant breeding and genetics for the improvement of field crops is a fascinating journey that spans centuries. It involves the deliberate selection and manipulation of plants to enhance desired traits. Here's a brief overview:

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Early Agricultural Practices: Humans began domesticating plants around 10,000 years ago. Early farmers unknowingly practiced plant breeding by selecting and saving seeds from plants with favorable traits, such as larger seeds or better taste.

Mendelian Genetics (19th Century): Gregor Mendel's work in the mid-1800s laid the foundation for modern genetics. He discovered the laws of inheritance through experiments with pea plants, uncovering the principles of dominant and recessive traits.

Rediscovery of Mendel's Work (Early 20th Century): In the early 1900s, scientists rediscovered Mendel's work, leading to a better understanding of genetics. This provided a scientific basis for plant breeding.

Inbreeding and Hybridization (Early 20th Century): Plant breeders started using controlled inbreeding and hybridization to produce plants with desired traits. This led to the development of higher-yielding and disease-resistant crops.

Green Revolution (Mid-20th Century): The Green Revolution, starting in the 1940s, focused on improving staple crops like wheat, rice, and maize. High-yielding varieties, along with improved agricultural practices, helped increase food production and alleviate hunger in many parts of the world.

Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering (Late 20th Century): Advances in biotechnology allowed for more precise manipulation of plant genetics. Genetic engineering techniques, such as introducing specific genes into plants, led to the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs) with traits like pest resistance and herbicide tolerance.

Marker-Assisted Selection (Late 20th Century - Present): DNA markers and molecular techniques emerged, enabling breeders to select plants with desired traits more efficiently. This sped up the breeding process and improved accuracy.

Genomic Era (21st Century): With the advent of high-throughput sequencing, researchers can analyze entire genomes quickly and cost-effectively. This knowledge aids in identifying genes responsible for specific traits and accelerating crop improvement.

List of some important scientists who made significant contributions during various milestones in the field of plant breeding and improvement:

1. Gregor Mendel (1822–1884): Known as the "Father of Genetics," Mendel's experiments with pea plants in the mid-19th century laid the foundation for our understanding of inheritance and the principles of dominant and recessive traits.
2. Nikolai Vavilov (1887–1943): A prominent Russian geneticist and plant breeder, Vavilov established the concept of centers of origin and diversity for crop plants. His work laid the groundwork for the conservation and utilization of plant genetic resources.
3. Norman Borlaug (1914–2009): An American agronomist and humanitarian, Borlaug played a pivotal role in the Green Revolution. He developed high-yielding, disease-resistant wheat varieties that helped increase global food production and alleviate hunger.
4. Barbara McClintock (1902–1992): An American geneticist, McClintock's discovery of transposons (or "jumping genes") in maize challenged conventional notions of genetic stability and had a profound impact on our understanding of genetic variation.
5. G. H. Shull (1874–1954): An American plant geneticist, Shull's pioneering work on hybridization and heterosis (hybrid vigor) laid the foundation for modern hybrid breeding techniques used in many crops.
6. J.C. Stephens (1899–1979) and R.A. Brink (1914–2010): These scientists were instrumental in developing the concept of combining ability in plant breeding, helping to improve our understanding of how specific traits are inherited in hybrids.
7. Robert T. Fraley (1953– ): An American biologist and executive, Fraley was a key figure in the development of genetically modified crops. He played a significant role in the development of the first genetically engineered crop plants.
8. Rita Colwell (1934– ): An American microbiologist, Colwell's research on bacterial diseases of plants helped develop methods for disease management and led to more sustainable agricultural practices.
9. Swaminathan M.S. (1925– ): An Indian geneticist and agricultural scientist, who played a crucial role in India's Green Revolution. He introduced high-yielding wheat and rice varieties, which greatly increased food production in the country.
10. Jennifer Doudna (1964– ) and Emmanuelle Charpentier (1968– ): These scientists developed the CRISPR-Cas9 gene-editing technology, revolutionizing genetic modification and offering precise tools for modifying plant genomes.

Some important Indian scientists contributing to agricultural plant breeding:

1. Nagendra Nath: (Early 20th Century)
• Worked on improving wheat and rice varieties in India.
• Pioneered research in wheat breeding, leading to the development of rust-resistant varieties.
2. Mankombu Sambasivan Swaminathan: (Mid-20th Century)
• Known as the "Father of the Green Revolution in India."
• Played a pivotal role in introducing high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.
• Established the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) and the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).
3. Gurdev Singh Khush: (Late 20th Century)
• Collaborated with Indian agricultural scientists to develop high-yielding rice varieties, such as IR8.
• Contributed to the Green Revolution's success by increasing rice production in India and other Asian countries.
4. Rajendra Singh Paroda: (Late 20th Century)
• Served as the Director General of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
• Promoted research and development in crop improvement, leading to the release of improved varieties.
5. Swapan Kumar Datta: (21st Century)
• Known for his work in rice biotechnology and genetics.
• Developed genetically modified rice varieties with enhanced tolerance to abiotic stress.
6. Kiran Kumar Sharma: (21st Century)
• Contributed to the development of disease-resistant wheat varieties.
• His research focused on improving wheat's resistance to pests and diseases.
7. Punam Singh: (21st Century)
• Known for her research on soybean improvement.
• Developed soybean varieties with improved yield and resistance to biotic and abiotic stresses.
8. Bhagirath Choudhary: (21st Century)
• Founded the South Asia Biotechnology Centre (SABC).
• Worked on promoting biotechnology and its applications in agriculture in India and neighboring countries.

Summary:

The history of plant breeding and genetics is marked by significant milestones that have shaped modern agricultural practices. It all began with early agricultural practices, where humans unintentionally practiced plant breeding by selecting seeds with favorable traits. Gregor Mendel's work in the 19th century laid the foundation for understanding inheritance, followed by the rediscovery of his work in the early 20th century. This scientific basis led to controlled inbreeding and hybridization in the early 20th century, yielding higher-yielding and disease-resistant crops.

The Green Revolution of the mid-20^th century, spearheaded by scientists like Norman Borlaug, focused on enhancing staple crops' yields and alleviating hunger. The late 20th century saw the advent of biotechnology and genetic engineering, facilitating precise genetic manipulation, including the development of genetically modified organisms (GMOs). Marker-assisted selection and the genomic era further expedited breeding processes by leveraging molecular techniques for accurate trait selection. Notable scientists worldwide, such as Mendel, Borlaug, McClintock, and Fraley, made pioneering contributions.

In the Indian context, scientists like M.S. Swaminathan, Gurdev Singh Khush, and Swapan Kumar Datta played pivotal roles in advancing crop breeding. Their efforts have collectively shaped the dynamic and ever-evolving landscape of agricultural plant breeding and genetics.

Milestones in plant breeding for crop improvement

• 9000 BC First evidence of plant domestication in the hills above the Tigris River.
• 3000 BC- Domestication of all important food crops in the Old World.
• 1000 BC- Domestication of all important food crops in the New World.
• 700 BC -Assyrians and Babylonians hand-pollinated date palms.
• 1694 -Camerarius demonstrated sex in plants and suggested crossing as a method to obtain new plant types.
• 1716- Mather of USA observed natural crossing in maize.
• 1719- Fairchild created the first artificial hybrid of dianthus sp. (Carnation × Sweet williams).
• 1727- Vilmorin introduced the concept of progeny testing i.e. Vilmorin isolation principle.
• 1753- Linnaeus published Species plantarium. Binomial nomenclature was born.
• 1761–1766 Koelreuter of Germany demonstrated that hybrid offspring received traits from both parents and were intermediate in most traits; produced the first scientific hybrid using tobacco.
• 1847- “Reid’s Yellow Dent” maize was developed.
• 1866- Mendel published his discoveries in Experiments in plant hybridization, culminating in inheritance and discovery of unit factors (genes).
• 1899- Hopkins described the ear-to-row selection method of breeding in maize.
• 1908–1909 Hardy of England and Weinberg of Germany developed the law of equilibrium of populations.
• 1908–Nilsson Ehle proposed the concept of multiple-factor hypotheses.
• 1909 -Shull conducted extensive research to develop inbreds to produce hybrids of maize.
• 1917 -Jones developed the first commercial hybrid maize.
• 1926 -Pioneer Hi-bred Corn Company was established as the first Seed Company.
• 1934- Dustin discovered colchicines.
• 1935- Vavilov published the scientific basis of plant breeding.
• 1940 -Harlan used the bulk breeding selection method in breeding.
• 1944- Avery, MacLeod, and McCarty discovered DNA is the hereditary material.
• 1945- Hull proposed a recurrent selection method of breeding.
• 1950 -McClintock discovered the Ac-Ds system of transposable elements.
• 1953- Watson, Crick, and Wilkins proposed a model for DNA structure.
• 1970- Borlaug received the Nobel Prize for the Green Revolution.
• 1973 - Berg, Cohen, and Boyer introduced the recombinant DNA technology.
• 1994 -“Flavr Savr” tomato developed as the first genetically modified food produced for the market.
• 1995- Bt corn developed.
• 1996- Roundup Ready® soybean introduced.
• 2004- Roundup Ready® wheat developed.
• 2005 - First Draft of the Rice Genome Sequence: The International Rice Genome Sequencing Project published the first draft of the rice genome, aiding in understanding the genetic basis of rice traits.
• 2007 - Development of High-Lysine Maize: Researchers developed a genetically modified high-lysine maize variety to improve its nutritional quality.
• 2010 - Completion of the Tomato Genome Sequence: The genome sequence of the tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) was published, facilitating tomato breeding for improved traits.
• 2012 - Development of CRISPR-Cas9 Gene Editing: The revolutionary CRISPR-Cas9 gene editing technology was developed, allowing precise modification of plant genomes for desired traits.
• 2013 - Development of Drought-Tolerant Maize: Drought-tolerant maize varieties were developed using genetic modification to address water scarcity challenges.
• 2014 - Genome Editing in Wheat: Researchers used CRISPR-Cas9 to edit wheat genes, showing the potential for improving this important cereal crop.
• 2016 - Release of Genetically Modified Non-Browning Apples: The Arctic® apple, genetically modified to resist browning, was approved and commercially released.
• 2017 - Sequencing of the Wheat Genome: The International Wheat Genome Sequencing Consortium published the complete genome sequence of bread wheat, aiding in wheat improvement.
• 2018 - Development of Disease-Resistant Bananas: Researchers developed bananas resistant to the devastating Panama disease using genetic modification.
• 2019 - CRISPR-Edited Plants Not Regulated as GMOs: Some countries, including the U.S., announced that plants edited using certain genetic techniques like CRISPR would not be regulated as genetically modified organisms (GMOs).
• 2020 - Advancements in Vertical Farming: Vertical farming technologies and controlled environment agriculture gained momentum, allowing for year-round cultivation of crops in controlled conditions.
• 2021 - Development of Climate-Resilient Crops: Researchers continued to work on breeding crops with increased resilience to changing climate conditions, including heat and drought tolerance.