Plant Breeding Techniques (Short Course)

Plant breeding is the art and science of changing the genetics of plants for the benefit of humankind. It can be achieved through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complicated tissue culture and molecular techniques. Plant breeding has been practiced for thousands of years since the beginning of human civilization. It is now practiced worldwide by individuals such as gardeners and farmers, or by professional plant breeders attached to government institutions, universities, crop-specific industry associations or research centers. Today even a nurseryman needs to understand plant breeding and selection; and to this end, learning about plant breeding techniques is very valuable for anyone working in the modern plant industry. Plant breeding is a bigger industry than most people realize.
The short course in plant breeding techniques has designed to help the participants to get the comprehensive knowledge with hands on experience on plant breeding techniques related to crop and ornamental plants. This Short course in Plant Breeding Techniques includes two parts; Theory and laboratory Sessions. Theoretical knowledge is provided through 24 hours gust lectures and audio visual aids. The practical skills are developed through 15 hours of Laboratory sessions and three Field visits to CRI, Lunuwila, HORDI, Gannoruwa and CIC, Hingurakkgoda. Theory component of the course will cover the following aspects;(a) The scope and nature of Plant Breeding Industry.(b) Basic concepts in Plant Reproduction.(c) Heredity in plants: Chromosomes and Genes, Gene Interactions and Gene expressions.(d) Practical Plant Breeding Techniques: Hybridization, Production of pure lines, Tissue culture in Plant Breeding and Molecular Techniques in Plant Breeding.(e) Seed production practices.(f) Plant Breeding as a Hobby: Selecting pollen and seed parents, Collecting and storing pollen, Selfing and Crossing Techniques, Pre-pollination steps, Steps adopted in pollination, Methods of Emasculation, Post-pollination steps and Harvesting and storing seeds.(g) Developing methodologies to improve any plant of your own interest.The practical component of the course will cover the following aspects;(a) Breeding Techniques used in self-pollinating crop/ornamental plants.(b) Breeding Techniques used in cross-pollinating crop/ornamental plants.(c) Breeding techniques used for vegetatively propagated crop/ornamental plants.(d) Application of Tissue culture Techniques in breeding crop/ornamental plants. (e) Molecular tools in plant breeding.

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General

Programme Code :
ou11
Programme Category :
Short Programme
Conducted by :
Dept. of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences
Programme duration :
08 weeks (08 Sundays)
Discipline(s) / Course(s) :
Botany

Admission

  • Pass in Advanced Level Biology / Botany / Agriculture or one year experience in the relevant field.

Application

 

Issuing of Applications :
On going
Closing Date for Applications:
31st October 2024
Programme Commencing Date :
08th December 2024

 

Finance

Course Fee: Rs. 20,000/=

Further Details

This Short programme is conducted by the department of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences. Contact the coordinator, Professor Shyama R. Weerakoon for further details.

Address :
 Department of Botany, Faculty of Natural Sciences, P. O. Box 21, Nawala, Sri Lanka
Contact :
0714933922
Email :

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