Wheat Genetic Improvement Program

ISBN-13: 9786209464249 / Angielski / Miękka / 2026 / 84 str.

Luiz Gustavo Batista Ferreira

Opis

Among plant breeders, there is growing concern about the reduction of genetic variability, a phenomenon known as genetic erosion. This limitation can be mitigated through the creation and maintenance of germplasm banks. Another critical aspect refers to the narrowing of the genetic base of modern cultivars of different species, such as wheat, resulting from the recurrent use of elite lines as parents in genetic improvement programs (Goodman, 1990; Reif et al., 2005).This strategy has widened the gap between activities aimed at conserving genetic resources and those associated with improvement. While researchers in the field of genetic resources are dedicated to collecting and preserving diversity, many breeding programs have neglected the wide variability available. Data from FAO (1996) indicate that the significant genetic diversity of wheat stored in ex situ germplasm banks remains underutilized in the development of new cultivars.