1. Collection of Variability:
i) Gather diverse alleles for all genes in a given crop through germplasm collection.
ii) Preserve wild species and relatives of cultivated species with desired traits.
iii) In situ conservation occurs in forests and natural reserves, while botanical gardens and seed banks facilitate ex situ conservation.
2. Evaluation and Selection of Parents:
i) Evaluate collected germplasm to identify healthy and vigorous plants with desirable traits.
ii) Selected parents undergo selfing for several generations to enhance homozygosity.
iii) Only pure lines are chosen, multiplied, and utilized in hybridization.
3. Hybridization:
i) Select the female (recurrent) parent based on maximum desirable features.
ii) Choose the male parent (donor) lacking certain characteristics found in the recurrent parent.
iii) Apply pollen grains from the male parent’s anthers to emasculated flowers of the female parent.
iv) Collect and sow hybrid seeds to grow the F1 generation.
4. Selection and Testing of Superior Recombinants:
i) Identify F1 hybrid plants that surpass both parents and exhibit high hybrid vigor.
ii) Self these plants for several generations to achieve homozygosity for desirable traits, preventing further segregation.
5. Testing, Release, and Commercialization of New Cultivars:
i) Evaluate newly selected lines for productivity and desirable features like disease and pest resistance, quality, etc.
ii) Initial growth occurs under controlled conditions, recording performance.
iii) Grow selected lines for at least three generations in natural fields across different agroclimatic zones.
iv) Finally, release the variety as a new cultivar for farmers’ use.