Applied Genetics (Plant Breeding) for Microbiology HND 2

Chapter 1

Core genetics you must know (fast recap)

1

DNA → gene → protein → trait (central dogma for traits)

2

Alleles, genotype vs phenotype, dominance patterns (complete, incomplete, codominance)

3

Meiosis, recombination, segregation (why offspring differ)

4

Linkage & mapping basics (why traits travel together)

Chapter 2

Plant breeding goals & breeding systems

5

Breeding objectives: yield, quality, resistance, stress tolerance (define target trait)

6

Pollination biology: selfing vs outcrossing; inbreeding vs heterozygosity

7

Germplasm sources: landraces, wild relatives, gene banks, elite lines

8

Choosing a breeding strategy (match trait + species biology + time)

Chapter 3

Classical breeding methods (how new varieties are made)

9

Selection types: mass, pure line, family/progeny selection (what you select and when)

10

Hybridization & controlled crosses (parents → F1 → F2 logic)

11

Backcross breeding (moving one key gene into an elite variety)

1 subtopics

12

Quick practice: design a 4–6 generation backcross plan for a resistance gene

13

Heterosis & hybrid seed production (why F1 can outperform parents)

14

Mutation & polyploidy breeding (creating new variation)

Chapter 4

Microbiology link: plant–microbe interactions used in breeding

15

Plant immunity basics: PTI vs ETI (what resistance genes “do”)

16

Pathogen variation: races/strains, virulence, effector changes (why resistance breaks)

17

Gene-for-gene concept & R genes (simple model for disease resistance)

18

Quantitative resistance & epidemiology basics (durable resistance)

19

Beneficial microbes: rhizobia, mycorrhizae, PGPR (traits & selection ideas)

20

Bioassays & screening: inoculation, scoring, controls, repeatability

Chapter 5

Modern tools: markers, genomics, and genetic engineering

21

Molecular markers (SSR/SNP) and what “linked marker” means

22

Marker-assisted selection (MAS) vs phenotypic selection (when each wins)

23

QTLs & polygenic traits (why height/yield are harder than single genes)

1 subtopics

24

Mini-exercise: interpret a simple QTL plot and choose selection candidates

25

Genomic selection concept (predict breeding value from genome-wide markers)

26

Tissue culture & micropropagation (speeding multiplication; somaclonal variation)

27

GM and gene editing basics: transgenics vs CRISPR; off-target; trait examples

Chapter 6

Remembering + exam-style problem solving (HND focus)

28

Core “story” to memorize: Variation → Selection → Evaluation → Release (VSER)

29

Punnett squares & cross outcomes (typical exam questions)

1 subtopics

30

Drill set: 10 quick crosses (mono-/di-hybrid + test cross) with answers you can self-check

31

Breeding scheme diagrams (F1, F2, BC1…): how to draw and explain clearly

32

Common short definitions list (20 key terms: allele, locus, QTL, MAS, heterosis, etc.)

33

Applied case studies (choose 2): disease resistance, salt tolerance, biofortification