Practical Manual on Crop Improvement-I (Kharif Crops)

Crop improvement is concerned with the genetic alteration of crop plants and is notably the utmost and vital mission of present-day plant breeding, as a limitless rise in the demand for plant-derived products is going to rise due to the increasing human population and the depletion of fossil resources in the near future. Crop improvement programmes either existing or newly initiated ones are routinely focusing on enhancing crop yield, quality and improving crop tolerance to diseases and pests. Therefore, it is essential to have knowledge about the breeding methods and techniques used in the genetic improvement of both kharif and rabi crops. Hence, in keeping view of these aspects, the present manual is an attempt in understanding the practical approach of crop improvement methods used in kharif crops to undergraduate and postgraduate students pursuing their degrees in plant breeding and genetics. The practical’s outlined in this manual are based on the syllabus prescribed by the ‘Fifth Dean’s Committee of ICAR” which comprises 11 different experiments. The breeding techniques used to improve the kharif cereals, pulses, oil seeds, fibres, cash crops, and vegetables have been formulated along with other exercises in such a manner that it will give a conceptual understanding to the students about the crop improvement methods that may help to develop a research interest among them. Hope this manual will be very useful to the students, teachers, and researchers who all are engaged either directly or indirectly with the field of Plant Breeding, Crop Improvement, Genetics, and Seed Technology.