Complementation of Bananas Conventional Breeding Programs Through Biotechnological Genetic Improvement

Author(s):  
Jorge López ◽  
Efrén Santos-Ordoñez ◽  
Lianet González
2015 ◽  
Vol 5 (1) ◽  
pp. 565-573
Author(s):  
Andekelile Mwamahonje ◽  
Deusdedit Kilambo ◽  
Leon Mrosso ◽  
Tileye Feyissa

Genetic improvement of grape cultivars to obtain high quality wine and table grape varieties by conventional breeding methods has been difficult and time consuming. The elite grape varieties developed by conventional breeding techniques have less resistance to fungal and bacterial diseases, drought, quality and yield per plant. Breeding programs of grapes are difficult due to lack of true bred from seed and few traits of importance. Though most grapes constitute large number of genes, they have less effect in tolerating biotic and abiotic stresses. Genetic improvement of grapevine (Vitis vinifera L.) through application of biotechnological techniques provide new strategies in grape breeding programs based on rapid selection or induction of desired traits by marker assisted breeding, genetic engineering and plant tissue culture. This review paper therefore, aims to discuss biotechnological techniques proposed for improvement of grape breeding.


2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (spe) ◽  
pp. 16-26 ◽  
Author(s):  
Luiz Antônio dos Santos Dias

The paper analyses the puzzle of the food-energy-environmental security interaction, to which biofuels are part of the solution. It presents and discusses the contribution of genetic improvement to biofuels, with regard to the production of raw materials (oil and ethanol-producing plant species) and designs perspectives, opportunities, risks and challenges, with a special focus on the Brazilian scene. Bioethanol is a consolidated biofuel owing largely to the sugarcane breeding programs. These programs released 111 sugarcane cultivars and were responsible for a 20.8 % gain in productivity of bioethanol (in m³ ha-1) between 2000 and 2009. The program of Brazilian biodiesel production, initiated in 2005, had an annual growth rate of 10 % and the country is already the world's fourth largest producer. However, the contribution of breeding to biodiesel production is still modest, due to the lack of specific improvement programs for oil.


Ceiba ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 54 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-81
Author(s):  
Alison L. Van Eenennaam

Biotechnologies have been an integral part of improvements in animal genetics, nutrition and health over the past century. Many biotechnologies have become fundamental components of efficient livestock production systems. The genetic improvements that have been enabled by biotechnologies have dramatically decreased the environmental footprint of animal protein production in many parts of the world, and continued innovation is required to address the projected increase in demand for animal products in the future. Breeding programs increasingly utilize a combination of advanced reproductive technologies and genomic tools to accelerate the rate of genetic gain by manipulating components of the breeder’s equation. The use of these biotechnologies and breeding methods has met with little public opposition. In contrast, the use of modern biotechnologies, defined as those that employ the use of in vitro nucleic acid techniques, have been highly controversial, especially those involving the use of genetic engineering. This modern biotechnology distinction is somewhat arbitrary as there are a number of biotechnologies that involve the use of in vitro processes, and many result in genetic modifications that are indistinguishable from the naturally-occurring variation that is the driver of both traditional breeding programs and evolution. A number of useful traits including disease resistance and animal welfare traits have been successfully introduced into various livestock species using both genetic engineering and gene editing techniques. Ultimately these techniques complement the genetic improvement that can be accomplished using traditional selection techniques and, if judged acceptable, offer an opportunity to synergistically accelerate genetic improvement in food animal species.


1980 ◽  
Vol 60 (2) ◽  
pp. 253-264 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. J. McALLISTER

In the last decade the dairy cattle population has declined to a level of 1.9 million cows in 1978 with about 56% of these cows bred AI and nearly 20% of the population enrolled in a supervised milk recording program. The decline in cow numbers has been accompanied by an increase in herd size and production per cow. The current breeding program of the dairy industry is a composite of breeding decisions made by AI organizations, breeders who produce young bulls for sampling and all dairymen who choose the sires and dams of their replacement heifers. Estimates of genetic trend from 1958–1975 for milk production in the national milk recorded herd range from 21 to 55 kg per year for the four dairy breeds with Holsteins being 41 kg per year. Both differential use of superior proven sires and improved genetic merit of young bulls entering AI studs contribute to this genetic improvement. Various national production and marketing alternatives were examined. Selection is a major breeding tool in establishing a breeding program to meet national production requirements for milk and milk products once the selection goal is defined. AI and young sire sampling programs will continue to be the primary vehicle for genetic improvement through selection regardless of the selection goal. The current resources of milk-recorded cows bred AI is not being fully utilized to achieve maximum genetic progress possible from young sire sampling indicate that the number of young bulls sampled annually in the Holstein breed could be tripled with the existing milk-recorded and AI bred dairy cow population. Expanded milk recording and AI breeding levels could increase the potential for even further genetic improvement. The potential impact of selection for other traits, crossbreeding and the use of embryo transfer of future breeding programs is highlighted.


2012 ◽  
Vol 7 (9) ◽  
pp. 1934578X1200700
Author(s):  
Swaroop S Kulkarni ◽  
Nagawara S Ravindra ◽  
Kalavagunta V N S Srinivas ◽  
Raghavendra N Kulkarni

Rose-scented geranium ( Pelargonium spp.), which is highly valued for its essential oil, is exclusively propagated vegetatively. Hence no genetic improvement work is possible through conventional breeding. Somaclonal variation was generated with and without in vitro mutagenesis using N-nitroso- N-methyl urea (NMU) in an Indian cultivar ‘Bourbon’, and a clone ‘Narmada’. A somaclonal variant (N75) with a moderately high content of isomenthone in its essential oil was isolated from somaclones generated after treatment of internodal explants of clone, ‘Narmada’ with 0.25 mM NMU for 1 h. The contents of isomenthone in its essential oil were 26% and 35%, respectively, in SC2/VM2 and SC3/VM3 generations (second and third vegetative generations, respectively, after in vitro mutagen treatment) as compared with 0.7% and 0.3%, respectively, in the parental clone, ‘Narmada’. The contents of alcohols and their esters (linalool, citronellol, geraniol, citronellyl formate and geranyl formate) in the essential oil of N75 in SC2/VM2 and SC3/VM3 generations were 49% and 35%, respectively, as compared with 69% and 63%, respectively, in the parental clone, ‘Narmada’. This is the first report on a chemovariant of rose-scented geranium with a moderately high content of isomenthone. All earlier reported isomenthone-rich variants of rose-scented geranium had quite high contents of isomenthone (64-71%) in their essential oils. The probable modes of origin of this somaclonal variant, its parental clone ‘Narmada’ (with very low content of isomenthone) and four earlier reported isomenthone-rich variants of Indian cultivars of geranium are discussed.


2017 ◽  
Vol 57 (12) ◽  
pp. 2353
Author(s):  
K. L. Bunter ◽  
S. Hermesch

The perception that the genetic background of the Australian pig population is limiting for genetic improvement of commercial pigs in Australia is considered in the context of well established theory combined with practical evidence. The diversity of pig breeds used in modern commercial pig-breeding programs is diminished worldwide relative to all the pig breeds available. Australia is no different in this respect. The use of predominantly three main breeds (Large White, Landrace, Duroc) and synthetic lines, with contributions from other minor breeds to form the basis of a cross-breeding system for commercial pig production is well established internationally. The Australian concern of relatively small founder populations is potentially of relevance, from a theoretical perspective, for (1) the prevalence of defects or the presence of desirable alleles, and (2) the loss of genetic variation or increase in inbreeding depression resulting from increased inbreeding in closed nucleus lines, potentially reducing response to selection. However, rates of response achieved in Australian herds are generally commensurate with the performance recording and selection emphasis applied, and do not appear to be unduly restricted. Moreover, favourable alleles present in unrepresented breeds are frequently present in the three major breeds elsewhere, and therefore would be expected to be present within the Australian populations. Wider testing would provide confirmation of this. Comparison of estimates of effective population size of Australian populations with experimental selection lines overseas (e.g. INRA) or other intensely selected species (e.g. Holstein cattle) suggest adequate genetic diversity to achieve ongoing genetic improvement in the Australian pig industry. However, fitness traits should be included in breeding goals. What remains to be seen is whether novel phenotypes or genotypes are required to meet future challenges, which might be imposed by changes in the environment (e.g. climate change, disease) or market needs. Given probable overlap in genetic merit across Australian and foreign populations for unselected attributes, we suggest that sufficient genetic resources are already present in Australian herds to continue commercial progress within existing Australian populations that have adapted to Australian conditions.


2012 ◽  
Vol 63 (2) ◽  
pp. 107 ◽  
Author(s):  
Julia M. Lee ◽  
Cory Matthew ◽  
Errol R. Thom ◽  
David F. Chapman

Genetic improvement programs for livestock and pasture plants have been central to the development of the New Zealand (NZ) pastoral industry. Although genetic improvement of livestock is easily shown to improve animal production on-farm, the link between genetic improvement of pasture plants and animal production is less direct. For several reasons, gains in farm output arising from improved plant performance are more difficult to confirm than those arising from livestock improvement, which has led to some debate in the livestock industries about which plant traits to prioritise in future breeding programs to deliver the greatest benefit. This review investigates this situation, with the aim of understanding how genetic improvement of perennial ryegrass (Lolium perenne L.), the predominant pasture grass, may more directly contribute towards increased productivity in the NZ dairy industry. The review focuses on the dairy industry, since it is the largest contributor to the total value of NZ agricultural exports. Also, because rates of pasture renewal are greater in the dairy industry compared with the sheep and beef industries, genetic gain in pasture plants is likely to have the greatest impact if the correct plant traits are targeted. The review highlights that many aspects of ryegrass growth and ecology have been manipulated through breeding, with evidence to show that plant performance has been altered as a result. However, it is not clear to what extent these gains have contributed to the economic development of the NZ dairy industry. There are opportunities for breeders and scientists to work together more closely in defining economic traits that positively influence pasture performance and to translate this information to objectives for breeding programs, systematically linking information on the measured traits of ryegrass cultivars to economic values for those traits to assist farmer decision-making regarding the most appropriate cultivars to use in their farm system, and better defining genotype × environment interactions in key productivity traits of modern ryegrass cultivars. Changes in priorities for investment of public- and industry-good funds in forage improvement research and development will be needed if these opportunities are to be captured.


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