selective breeding

• what is selective breeding?

  • process of breeding organisms to produce offspring with desired characteristics
• what are the steps of selective breeding?

  • select from existing stock the organisms with best characteristics
  • breed them with one another
  • select the best of offspring and breed them together
  • continue process over several generations
  • desirable trait gets stronger and stronger~
• example of selective breeding with cows?

  • animals with characteristics of increase milk yield are selected and bred together e.g. largest cow and bull
  • offspring with best characteristics are selected and bred together
  • continue over several generations - cows with very large milk yield produced.
• example of selective breeding to increase crop yield?

  • tall wheat plants - good grain yield but easily damaged by wind and rain
  • dwarf wheat plants - resist wind and rain - lower grain yield
  • both wheat plants cross bred - best result wheat plants cross bred again
  • new variety of wheat and combining good characteristics - dwarf wheat plants which can resist bad weather and high grain yield