Lesson 1.3 Biotechnological Breeding Methods
Completion requirements
Section 1: Plant Breeding and Propagation
Lesson 3: Biotechnological Breeding Methods
Biotechnology is the science that deals with the use of living organisms. It consists of using biochemistry, microbiology, and engineering sciences, often combining these to achieve new ways of using microorganisms for specific purposes. For
our purpose in this course, we will consider how biotechnology can use microorganisms as a practical means for accelerating success in plant breeding.
The two most important biotechnological methods used in plant breeding are "in vitro" cultivation of plant cells and genetic engineering.
Credit to: Jairenz Batu
In Vitro Cultivation of Plant Cells
In Vitro Cultivation of Plant Cells
"In vitro" means within glass. It refers to plant or animal cells growing within a test tube in a nutrient culture medium. Such plant cell cultures or plant tissue cultures are used to produce clones of a plant.
This method of producing a new plant is known as
micropropagation.
It relies on the fact that many plant cells have the ability to regenerate a whole plant.
Single plant cells, pieces of leaves, even roots can often be used to generate a new plant in a culture medium in which the required nutrients are present.
Think of it as plant cells being cultured in vitro (i.e., in a test tube) so that they multiply and organize themselves into tissues and eventually into complete plants.
It relies on the fact that many plant cells have the ability to regenerate a whole plant.
Single plant cells, pieces of leaves, even roots can often be used to generate a new plant in a culture medium in which the required nutrients are present.
Think of it as plant cells being cultured in vitro (i.e., in a test tube) so that they multiply and organize themselves into tissues and eventually into complete plants.
- The production of exact copies of plants that produce particularly good flowers or fruits, or have other desirable traits.
- It quickly produces mature plants.
- Multiple plants are produced in the absence of seeds or necessary pollinators to produce seeds.
- Whole plants are regenerated from plant cells that have been genetically modified.
New plants can be generated in vitro. ©iStock
Genetic Engineering
Genetic Engineering
Genetic engineering, or genetic modification of plants involves the direct manipulation of genes, i.e. the transfer of genes from one organism to another, or changes in the sequence of genes.
To use genetic modification effectively, it is necessary to know which genes or what sequences of genes are responsible for specific traits of a plant, so that a plant's genetic make-up can be restructured to incorporate the desired traits.
Research to identify genes or sequences responsible for specific traits can be, and is, conducted separately from efforts of genetic engineering.
In principle, the methods of genetic engineering allow for the introduction of valuable traits of any organism. This means that the pool of available genes corresponding to certain desirable traits, that can be introduced into a plant, has been enormously enlarged.
Genetically Modified Tomato ©iStock
Digging Deeper
Cosmic Crisp Apple
Click here to read about a new type of apple being developed in a lab in Washington.
Click here to read about a new type of apple being developed in a lab in Washington.