794-008 Horticultural Genetics & Plant Breeding

Credit Points

HECS Band

Coordinator

Semester

Contact

Subject Description

The objective of this subject is to extend participants' ability to:

• understand evolution from a genetic perspective;

• understand plant breeding ramifications of Mendelian genetics;

• describe plant breeding systems in horticultural crops;

• develop appropriate plant breeding programs for plants used in environmental horticulture;

• understand floral morphology and cytogenetics as appropriate to plant breeding;

• use electrophoresis to assess cultivar purity, population dynamics and breeding patterns; and

• understand restriction length polymorphisms. polymerase chain reaction technology and gene transfer technology.

The content includes evolution of genes and plant genomes; breeding systems in angiosperms; breeding strategies of angiosperms; Mendelian inheritance; breeding incompatibility; development of both 'broad acre' and pedigree breeding systems; cytogenetics and cytogenetic techniques important in plant breeding; using electrophoretic systems to assess cultivar purity, relative population dynamics and breeding patterns within a population; and contemporary techniques of plant 'genetic engineering'.

Assessment

Test of 1.5 hours (40%) and take-home examination of 2500 words (80%).

Prescribed Texts

• A J Richards, Plant Breeding Systems. Unwin Hyman, 1986.