Hello, welcome to this blog on the Aims of Crop improvement in agriculture.
Table Of Contents
- Meaning of crop improvement.
- Aims of Crop improvement in agriculture.
- The Mendel’s 1st law of segregation of genes
- The Mendel’s 2nd law of independent assortment of genes.
MEANING OF CROP IMPROVEMENT
Crop improvement is defined as a science that deals with development of new crop varieties with superior quality and quantity. In other words, crop improvement refers to the ways of developing and breeding of crop varieties which are better than the existing varieties in a number of characters.
AIMS OF CROP IMPROVEMENT
The plant breeders involved in improving our crop usually have certain aims in mind when doing their work. They try to substitute the undesirable characters in plants with desirable ones so that higher yields will be produced with improved quality.
The aims of crop improvement therefore include the following:
- To increase yied: The varieties of crops so developed by breeders are capable of giving very high yield or quantity of crops per unit of land. This quantity is measured in kg/ha, e.g, 800 kg/ha to 2000 kg/ha.
- To improve the quality of produce: The quality of Farm produce enhances its usefulness and value. Plant breeders can improve on the taste, colour, size, nutritive value and fiber content of the crops.
- To increase resistance to diseases: Plant breeders also develop varieties of crops which are not only resistant to diseases but produce high yield in the presence of diseases.
- To adapt to climatic conditions: Plant breeders develop varieties of crops that are able to withstand extreme conditions of cold, drought and wind by adjusting the growth cycle of the veriety better to suit the available growing season.
- To increase resistance to pests: It is also the aim of plant breeders to develop varieties of crops which are not only resistant to diseases but also produce high yields in the presence of pests.
- To meet the need of growers: This is another Aims of crop improvement. Improvements in farming methods may make particular characteristics desirable to growers in their plants. For example, many growers would prefer short variety of maize which can be harvested by machines, instead of tall ones which can only be harvested by hand.
- To breed crops with early maturity: Plant breeders are involved in the production of crops which will mature early. This can allow for the production of that crop many times in a year, depending on the crop.
- To produce crops with uniform agronomic characteristics: One of the aims of plant breeders is to breed crops which can grow and mature uniformly to facilitate mechanization or ease of harvesting.
- To improve the nutritional value of the produce: It is the ultimate aim of the plant breeders to develop cross that have nutritional value like high protein, mineral, vitamin, etc, which are used to man.
- To improve harvesting qualities: Breeders try to produce crops that can be harvested with ease and without damages to the seed/fruits.
- To meet the needs of consumers (processors or industralist): The demand by food processors as well as other consumers create pressure for new quality of plants. For instance, improved quality in the farm products, e.g, maize with high protein content will contribute to good health of the people.
MENDEL’S FIRST LAW OF INHERITANCE
The first law is also called the law of segregation of genes.
The law states that genes are responsible for the development of the individual and that they are independently transmitted from one generation to another without undergoing any alteration.
MENDEL’S SECOND LAW OF INHERITANCE
This second law is also called the law of independent assortment of genes.
Mendel’s second law of independent assortment of genes states that each character behaves as a separate unit and is inherited independently of any other character.
Revision Questions
- Write short note on the meaning of crop improvement
- Briefly list and explain ten aims of crop improvement
- State the Mendel’s first of segregation of genes
- What is Mendel’s second law of inheritance?