What are the various steps involved in breeding a new variety of crop? [5]

The main steps in breeding a new genetic variety of a crop are:

1. Collection of variability : The entire collection of plants/seeds having all the alleles for all genes in a given crop is called the germplasm collection.
2. Evaluation and selection of parents : The germplasm is evaluated so as to identify plants with desirable combination of characters.
3. Cross hybridisation among the selected parents: Two parents with desirable characteristics are crossed to produce hybrids that have desired characters of both parents.
4. Selection and testing of superior recombinants : The progeny having desired characteristics are selected and self pollinated for several generations till they become homozygous.
5. Testing, release and commercialisation of new cultivars: The crops are grown in research fields followed by testing in farmers’ fields, for atleast three growing seasons at different locations in the country, representing all the agroclimatic zones where the crop is usually grown.

1 mark for each point.