Agronomist dictionary: Breeding and seed production

A

Breeding and seed production

Approbation bush

A representative plant or group of plants selected in a field to perform an expert assessment of the varietal and seed quality of a crop.

Breeding and seed production

Approbation percentage

A metric indicating the degree of varietal purity of a crop field, determined during official field inspection to ensure adherence to seed quality standards.

B

Breeding and seed production

Breeding nursery

A specialized field area for the primary propagation and evaluation of hybrid plant materials selected to develop new crop varieties.

Breeding and seed production

Breeding process

The breeding process is a targeted activity aimed at creating and improving plant varieties and hybrids with specific commercially valuable traits.

C

Breeding and seed production

Clonal selection

A breeding method involving the selection of the best individual plants within a vegetatively propagated cultivar to preserve or improve its specific traits.

Breeding and seed production

CMS (Cytoplasmic Male Sterility)

A genetic condition in plants that prevents the production of functional pollen, used primarily to facilitate large-scale hybrid seed production.

Breeding and seed production

Contrast hybridization

A plant breeding method that involves crossing genetically distant parental forms to create progeny with unique, often opposing, valuable traits.

Breeding and seed production

Cross-pollination

The transfer of pollen from the male parts of one flower to the female parts of another flower of the same species.

Breeding and seed production

Cultivar acclimatization

The process of adapting a crop cultivar to new soil and climatic conditions that differ from the environment of its original breeding.

Breeding and seed production

Cultural value of seeds

This is a quality indicator representing the percentage of pure, viable seeds in a batch capable of producing healthy seedlings.

D

Breeding and seed production

Depression (in agronomy)

A temporary slowing or cessation of plant growth and development caused by adverse environmental factors or external physiological stress.

E

Breeding and seed production

Ecological plasticity

This is the ability of a crop variety or hybrid to maintain stable productivity despite variations in environmental conditions and climatic factors.

Breeding and seed production

Economic and biological assessment

A comprehensive analysis of agricultural crop varieties based on their productive potential and resistance to environmental stress factors.

Breeding and seed production

Elite seed-producing farm

An agricultural enterprise specialized in multiplying elite-category seeds to supply commercial farms with high-quality planting material.

Breeding and seed production

Elite seeds

Elite seeds are high-quality reproductive material derived from super-elite seeds, intended for the further production of commercial seed crops.

F

Breeding and seed production

Field inspection

Field inspection is the process of evaluating agricultural crops in the field to verify varietal purity, identity, and the absence of diseases or weeds.

Breeding and seed production

First filial generation (F1 hybrid)

This is the first generation of offspring resulting from a cross between two genetically distinct parent lines, exhibiting superior traits known as heterosis.

G

Breeding and seed production

Genetic potential

The maximum productivity of a crop variety or hybrid determined by its DNA, which can be achieved under optimal environmental and management conditions.

Breeding and seed production

Genetic purity

The degree to which seeds or plants possess the genetic characteristics of a specific variety, free from contamination by other varieties.

H

Breeding and seed production

Heterosis (hybrid vigor)

The phenomenon where the progeny of genetically diverse parents exhibit superior traits, such as growth rate and yield, compared to either parent.

I

Breeding and seed production

Inbred line

An inbred line is a group of genetically identical plants produced by repeated self-pollination to stabilize desirable traits.

Breeding and seed production

Inbred line

An inbred line is a genetically uniform population of plants derived from repeated self-fertilization, serving as the basis for breeding hybrid crop varieties.

Breeding and seed production

Inbreeding

Inbreeding is the breeding of closely related individuals, utilized in agriculture to create homozygous lines and preserve desirable traits.

Breeding and seed production

Individual selection

A breeding method where the best plants are selected from a population based on progeny testing to develop pure lines.

M

Breeding and seed production

Male parent

The plant providing pollen for cross-pollination to produce new varieties or hybrid seeds.

Breeding and seed production

Mass selection

A breeding method where a group of plants with desirable phenotypic traits is selected from a population to produce seeds for the next generation without indivi...

Breeding and seed production

Maternal form

A plant used as the female parent in hybridization to produce seeds with specific desired traits or hybrid vigor.

Breeding and seed production

Morphological traits

These are the external physical characteristics of a plant, such as shape, size, color, and structure, used for variety identification and field assessment.

N

Breeding and seed production

National List of Varieties

An official catalogue of plant varieties approved by the government for commercial cultivation and sale within a country.

P

Breeding and seed production

Post-control

Post-control in agronomy is the systematic assessment of the efficacy of pesticides and agrochemicals applied to crops after a specific period following the tre...

Breeding and seed production

Pre-basic seeds

The highest category of seeds produced under the direct responsibility of the breeder to maintain the genetic purity and identity of the variety.

Breeding and seed production

Progeny testing nursery

A specialized breeding nursery where the performance of individual plant lineages is evaluated to determine their genetic potential and suitability for further...

R

Breeding and seed production

Reproduction

This is a successive generation of seeds or planting material obtained during the process of seed production from initial plant forms.

Breeding and seed production

Reproduction sowing

A method of sowing elite or high-generation seeds to produce quality seed material for future cycles while preserving the variety's specific traits.

Breeding and seed production

Roguing

The practice of identifying and removing off-type plants, diseased individuals, or weeds from a crop to maintain genetic purity.

S

Breeding and seed production

Seed certification

The official process of testing and verifying seed quality to ensure it meets established standards for purity, germination capacity, and health.

Breeding and seed production

Seed certification

The official process of verifying that seed lots meet established quality standards for genetic identity, purity, and germination.

Breeding and seed production

Seed control

A system of testing and verification procedures designed to ensure that seeds meet established quality, purity, and germination standards for agricultural produ...

Breeding and seed production

Seed generation

Seed generation is the biological process of seed development, maturation, and reproduction within agricultural crops.

Breeding and seed production

Seed inspection

A regulatory service responsible for auditing and certifying seed quality, purity, and germination rates to ensure they meet agricultural standards.

Breeding and seed production

Seed lot

A seed lot is a specific quantity of seeds, uniform in quality and origin, identified by a unique code and covered by a single certificate of analysis.

Breeding and seed production

Seed production system

A structured sequence of agronomic and organizational activities designed to multiply high-quality, genetically pure seeds while maintaining the varietal charac...

Breeding and seed production

Sowing suitability

Sowing suitability is a parameter representing the percentage of seeds in a lot that are both pure and viable, calculated by multiplying seed purity by germinat...

Breeding and seed production

Species purity

Species purity is a measure of the absence of seeds of other botanical plant species within a specific seed lot.

Breeding and seed production

Sterility

The condition of an organism or environment characterized by the total absence of living microorganisms or the inability to reproduce sexually.

Breeding and seed production

Super Elite

Super Elite seeds are high-quality planting material obtained directly from the breeder, serving as the primary stock for seed multiplication programs.

V

Breeding and seed production

Varietal identification

The process of verifying that a specific crop or seed lot conforms to the defined characteristics and genetic profile of a particular variety.

Breeding and seed production

Varietal qualities

These are the genetically determined characteristics and traits of a plant that define its identity, productivity, and suitability for specific growing environm...

Breeding and seed production

Variety adaptability

The ability of a crop variety to maintain consistent yields and performance across varying environmental and soil conditions within a specific region.

Breeding and seed production

Variety differentiation

The practice of managing different crop varieties separately to optimize their specific yield potential and synchronize farming operations like harvesting.

Breeding and seed production

Variety renewal

A systematic replacement of commercial seeds with high-quality certified seed stock to maintain the genetic integrity and yield potential of a crop variety.

Breeding and seed production

Variety replacement

The planned transition from older, less productive crop varieties to newer, higher-yielding ones with improved agronomic traits.

Breeding and seed production

Variety testing

A process of evaluating new crop varieties through field trials to determine their agronomic performance, productivity, and suitability for specific environment...

Z

Breeding and seed production

Zonal zoning

A system of dividing territory into regions with similar climatic and soil conditions to select the most suitable crop varieties and farming practices.

Breeding and seed production

Zoning

The division of territory into agro-climatic regions to select crop varieties and hybrids best suited to the local soil and climate conditions.