Science of crop improvement plays important role in improving crop plants in relation to their economic use for mankind. Crop improvement can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to more complex molecular techniques. Conscious efforts to improve crops for traits of interest to human kind date back to the initiation of settled agriculture. Crop improvement is both science and art, since it involves the theoretical knowledge on understanding of inheritance pattern of traits, selection and hybridization principles and practical experience to impart lot of skills involved in selfing, emasculation, crossing and selection of suitable breeding method for crop improvement. International development agencies believe that breeding new crops is important for ensuring food security by developing new varieties that are higher-yielding, resistant to pests and diseases, drought-resistant or regionally adapted to different environments and growing conditions. Modern plant breeding is the science of improving plants to achieve these needs and better fit production environments, but is a long-term proposition. Keeping in view of these aspects, this book entitled "Breeding for crop improvement" has been designed to provide a simple umbrella for understanding wild relatives, floral biology, anthesis and pollination, breeding objectives and breeding methods of different crop plants for successful crop improvement. The topics mainly covered includes Plant Breeding: selection and hybridization principles, Breeding methods in self and cross pollinated crops, Breeding for biotic and abiotic stress resistance, Breeding in cereals, millets, pulses, oilseeds, fibre crops, vegetable crops, sugar crops and narcotics and glossary of taxonomic terminology. Hope this volume would be useful for graduate and post graduate students of Agriculture and Biology in all Indian Universities.
Venkata R Prakash Reddy received his B.Sc (Ag) degree from Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Hyderabad, Andhra Pradesh and M.Sc (Ag) from Department of Genetics and Plant Breeding from University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka. Where he received University Gold medal. He is a recipient of Inspire Fellowship of Department of Science and Technology for PhD programme. Currently working as Assistant Professor at Acharya N G Ranga Agricultural University, Agricultural College, Mahanandi. And he has published several research, review papers in various national and international journals. He has already authored three books titled Heterosis and Combining ability studies in Sunflower and Key notes on Genetics and Plant Breeding and Key notes on Plant Biotechnology. His research interests include Plant Breeding and Molecular Biology.
