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Lecturer(s)
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Křístková Eva, doc. Ing. Ph.D.
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Smýkal Petr, prof. Ing. Ph.D.
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Lebeda Aleš, prof. Ing. DrSc.
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Matušinský Pavel, doc. Mgr. Ph.D.
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Ondřej Vladan, doc. RNDr. Ph.D.
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Course content
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1. Genetic diversity (significance, protection); 2. Conservation of plant germplasm, sources of plant material for the breeding; 3. Role of plant breeding, its history and development in the world and in the Czech Republic; 4. Biological and methodological principles of plant breeding (centers of origin of cultivated plant, sources of genetic diversity, influence of the way of plant propagation to the selection of breeding method); 5. Fundamental principles, genetic structure of the cultivars, variability of cultivated plants, important features of cultivated plants; 6. Conventional methods and techniques of plant breeding: selection (natural, controlled, individual, grouped, clone), crossing (techniques, lines, populations, plant heterozis, distant hybridization, pollen sterility, somatic hybridization); 7. Utilization of haploids and polyploids in the plant breeding; 8. Mutations in plant breeding (biological background, induction, detection of mutants); 9. Genetic manipulations in plant breeding, transgenic plants, DNA fingerprinting. manipulation with genetically modified plants; 10. Methods of plant breeding, quantitative and qualitative traits, heritability, selection indexes; 11. Fundamentals of genomic technologies (principles, PCR, molecular hybridization, DNA cloning, order of bases in the cloned DNA, molecular markers, protein markers); 12. Breeding aims (yield, quality, resistance to biotic and abiotic factors); 13. Breeding technique (breeding nursery, documentation, data collection and processing), new-breeding, maintenance of cultivars; 14. Organization of plant breeding and seed production, research, legislation.
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Learning activities and teaching methods
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Lecture, Demonstration, Projection (static, dynamic), Laboratory Work
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Learning outcomes
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The course aims to provide students with a comprehensive understanding of the principles and practices of plant breeding, integrating classical breeding approaches with modern molecular and genomic technologies. Students will become familiar with the genetic basis of trait inheritance, the utilization of plant genetic resources, and the role of breeding in crop improvement, food security, and sustainable agriculture. The course emphasizes the importance of interspecific and intraspecific plant diversity as the foundation for breeding programs and explores strategies for generating and expanding genetic variation through hybridization, induced mutagenesis, polyploidization, wide crosses, and biotechnological approaches. Students will gain an understanding of breeding systems in self- and cross-pollinated species, selection methods, heterosis breeding, and the development of cultivars adapted to diverse environmental and agricultural conditions. Special attention is given to contemporary breeding methodologies, including marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, genome editing, and the integration of high-throughput phenotyping and bioinformatics into breeding pipelines. The course also addresses the conservation and utilization of crop wild relatives and genetic resources as essential components of future breeding strategies. Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to explain the genetic and biological principles underlying plant breeding, evaluate the advantages and limitations of different breeding methods, and understand the significance of plant diversity for the development of improved cultivars. These competencies provide a solid foundation for further studies in plant sciences and are equally applicable to students preparing for careers in biology education at the secondary school level, enabling them to communicate the principles and societal importance of plant breeding in an evidence-based context.
Upon successful completion of the course, students will be able to explain the genetic and biological principles underlying both classical and modern plant breeding methods and their application in the development of new crop varieties. They will understand the importance of interspecific and intraspecific plant diversity as the primary source of genetic variation for breeding and will be able to describe the mechanisms responsible for its origin, maintenance, and targeted expansion. Students will be able to characterize major breeding approaches, including hybridization, selection, heterosis breeding, polyploidization, mutation breeding, and the utilization of crop wild relatives and plant genetic resources. They will gain an understanding of the application of molecular markers, genomic selection, and genome editing technologies in contemporary plant breeding and will be able to critically evaluate their advantages, limitations, and potential applications. Graduates of the course will be able to interpret the role of plant breeding in improving crop productivity, quality, and resilience, as well as its contribution to the conservation of genetic resources and the development of sustainable agricultural systems. They will also be able to apply these concepts in scientific contexts and effectively communicate fundamental principles of plant breeding and genetics in educational settings.
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Prerequisites
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Basic knowledge of botany, plant physiology, genetics.
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Assessment methods and criteria
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Mark, Oral exam, Written exam, Seminar Work
Knowledge in extent of lectures, practical exercises and recommended literature, 100% participation in practical exercises; Elaboration of protocols from practical exercises.
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Recommended literature
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Acquaah G. (2012). Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding. Wiley.
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Brown, J., Caligari, P. (2009). An introduction to plant breeding.
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Houba, M., Hosnedl, V. (2002). Osivo a sadba, praktické semenářství.
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Chloupek, O. (2008). Genetická diverzita, šlechtění a semenářství. Praha.
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Schlegel, R.H.J. (2010). Dictionary of plant breeding..
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Welsh, J.R. (1981). Fundamentals of plant genetics and breeding.. New York.
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