years for effective natural selection

Widely used method Limited use

Needs close attention from F2 onwards It is simple convenient.
Segregating generation are space planted to Bulk population are planted at commercial
permit individual plant selection planting rate
Population size is small Larger population are grown and the
natural selection expected to the increase
the chances recovery of transgressive
segregants

Back cross method

A Crossing between a F1 hybrid or its segregating generation with one of its parents is
known as Back cross. The hybrid and its progenies in the subsequent generations are
repeatedly back crossed to one of their parents. As a result, the genotype of back cross
progeny becomes increasingly similar to that parent to whom the back crosses are made.
At the end of 6-8 back crosses, the progeny would be almost identical with the parent
involved in back crossing.
Objective:
1. To improve one or two specific defects of a high yielding variety and a well-adapted
variety with desirable character.
2. The characters lacking in this variety are transferred to it from a donor parent without
changing the genotype of this variety except for the genes being transformed.
Requirements of back cross breeding
1. Suitable recurrent parent must be available which lacks in one or two characteristics.
2. A suitable donor parent must be available; the character must be highly intense.
3. The character(s) to be transferred must have high heritability and preferably, should be
governed by one or few genes
4. A sufficient number of back crosses should be made so that genotype of recurrent parent
is recovered in full. Ordinarily, 6-7 backcrosses are sufficient for the purpose.
Applications of back cross breeding
1. Inter varietal transferring of simply inherited traits. Characters governed by one or two
genes like disease resistance are successful.
2. Inter varietal transfer of quantitative characters and highly heritable quantitative characters
like earliness, plant height, seed size and seed shape are transferred.
3. Inter specific transfer of simply inherited characters: Disease resistance is transferred from
related species to cultivated species. Inter specific transfer of genes are easy when the
chromosome of the two species pair regularly.
4. Transferring of cytoplasm: wild species cytoplasmic are transferred to cultivated species
transfer of male sterility. The variety or species from which the cytoplasm is to be
transferred is used as the female parent. The parent to which the cytoplasm is to be
transferred is used as the male parent in the original cross and back cross. After 6 -8 back
crosses the progeny would have the nuclear genotype of the recurrent parent and the
cytoplasm from the donor parent.
5. Transgressive segregation: F1 is back crossed to one or two times to the recurrent parent
leaving much heterozygosity for transgressive segregation to appear. In the second
modification two or more recurrent parent may be used in the back-cross progeny to
accumulate genes from them into the back cross. Progeny of the new variety is not exactly
like any one of the recurrent parents.
6. Production of isogenic lines: Isogenic lines are identical in their genotype except for one
gene
7. Germplasm conversion: When valuable germplasm cannot be utilized in breeding
programmes and may be used as recurrent parent in separate back cross programme these
lines are called converted lines.
Procedure for transfer to dominant gene
E.g. High yielding and widely adapted wheat variety A is susceptible to stem rust another
variety B is resistance to stem rust. Stem rust is dominant to susceptibility.
1. Hybridization: Variety A is crossed to variety B. Generally, variety A should be used as
female parent. This would help in identification of selfed plants.
2. BC1 generation: F1 plants are back crossed to variety A. Since all the F1 are
heterozygous for rust resistance, selection for rust resistance is not necessary.
3. First BC1 generation: Half of the plants in BC1 generation are resistant and the
remaining half would be susceptible to stem rust. Rust resistant plants are selected and
back crossed to variety A.
4. BC2 to BC 5 generation: Segregation would occur for rust resistance. Rust resistant
plants are selected and back crossed to variety A.
5. BC6 generation: BC6 plants will have 99 percent genes from variety A Rust resistant
plants are selected and selfed, their seeds are harvested separately
6. BC6 F2 generation: Individual plants progeny from the selfed seeds of the selected plants
are grown. Rust resistant plant similar to the plant type of variety A are selected and they
are selfed. Seeds are harvested separately.
7. BC6 F3 generation: Individual plants progeny are grown. Progenies homozygous for rust
resistant and similar to plant type of variety Aare harvested in bulk. Several similar
progenies are usually mixed to constitute the new variety.
Merits:
1. Back cross method retains all desirable character of a popular adapted varieties and
replaces undesirable allele at particular locus
2. Useful for the transfer of disease resistance and incorporation of quality traits into a
variety
3. This is used for the development of isogenic lines,
4. Extensive tests are not required 2-3 generation can be raised in off season nurseries
greenhouses; it would save time.
5. This is the only method for the inter specific gene transfer and transfer of cytoplasm.
6. Male sterility and fertility restoration genes can be transferred to various back ground.

Demerits:
1. New variety cannot be superior to recurrent parent except for the character transferred
2. It involves lot of crossing work. 6-8 back cross is often difficult and time consuming.
3. Sometime undesirable gene linked with desirable also may be transferred.
4. By the time the back cross programme the recurrent parent may have been replaced by
other varieties superior in yield and other character.