Historical Milestones in Plant Breeding

Ancient Era: 700 BC: Babylonians and Assyrians practiced artificial pollination in date palms, one of the earliest recorded plant breeding efforts.

Early Modern Era (17th–19th Century)

17th Century: Development of several varieties of heading lettuce in France.

1717: Thomas Fairchild created the first artificial hybrid, Fairchild’s Mule, using carnation and sweet William.

1727: The first plant breeding company was established in France by the Vilmorins, introducing systematic breeding techniques.

1760-1766: Joseph Koelreuter conducted extensive crosses in tobacco, contributing to early hybridization studies.

1759–1835: Knight used artificial hybridization to develop fruit varieties, setting a precedent for modern methods.

1873: Patrick Shireff published his work, emphasizing the importance of heritable variation in response to selection.

Scientific Advancements in Plant Breeding

19th Century (Scientific Foundation)

1856: Vilmorin developed the progeny test and improved sugar beets, showcasing the effectiveness of selection.

1866: Gregor Mendel’s paper laid the foundation of genetics, providing insights into inheritance patterns.

1900: Mendel’s work was rediscovered by Hugo de Vries, Carl Correns, and Erich von Tschermak, marking the beginning of modern genetics.

20th Century (Genetics and Cytogenetics)

1903: Johannsen introduced the pureline theory, revolutionizing individual plant selection.

1900: Nilson-Ehle developed the individual plant selection method, advancing cereal crop improvement.

Chromosome Discovery: Understanding that chromosomes carry genes led to specialized breeding methods, such as chromosome engineering.

Recombinant DNA Technology: Enabled the transfer of desirable genes from any organism into plants, facilitating the development of genetically modified crops.

21st Century (Biotechnology and Molecular Breeding)

Plant Totipotency: The ability of plant somatic and gametic cells to regenerate into complete plants allowed for cloning and mass propagation.

Molecular Breeding: Incorporates DNA markers to enhance the precision of selecting desirable traits.

Transgenic Crops: Crop varieties developed through recombinant DNA technology are widely cultivated today, contributing to agricultural sustainability.

Historical Timeline of Plant Breeding in India

1871: Establishment of the Department of Agriculture by the Government of India.

1901-1905: Agricultural colleges were established in Kanpur, Pune, Sabour, Lyallpur, and Coimbatore, laying the foundation for agricultural education.

1905: The Imperial Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) was founded in Pusa, Bihar, to conduct advanced agricultural research.

1934: IARI buildings in Pusa were damaged by an earthquake.

1936: IARI was relocated to New Delhi.

1946: IARI was renamed the Indian Agricultural Research Institute.

1929: Establishment of the Imperial Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) to coordinate agricultural research.

1946: ICAR was renamed the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.

1921: Formation of the Indian Central Cotton Committee, which made significant contributions to cotton breeding and cultivation, including the development of 70 improved cotton varieties.

1956: Launch of the Project for Intensification of Regional Research on Cotton, Oilseeds, and Millets (PIRRCOM), covering 17 centers across India.

1957: All India Coordinated Maize Improvement Project initiated to exploit heterosis.

1960: India’s first Agricultural University was established at Pantnagar, Nainital, Uttar Pradesh.

1961: Release of the first hybrid maize varieties through the coordinated maize improvement project.

Contributions of Eminent Scientists in Plant Breeding

T.S. Venkatraman: Known for the noblization of sugarcane, transferring traits like thick stems and high sugar content from tropical noble cane to North Indian varieties.

B.P. Pal: Developed superior disease-resistant N.P. wheat varieties.

M.S. Swaminathan: Father of the Green Revolution in India; developed high-yielding varieties of wheat and rice.

Pushkarnath: Renowned for his contributions to potato breeding.

N.G.P. Rao: Eminent sorghum breeder.

Ramaiah: Renowned for advancements in rice breeding.

Ram Dhan Singh: Renowned wheat breeder.

D.S. Athwal: Prominent pearl millet breeder.

Bosisen: Eminent maize breeder.

Dharampal Singh: Contributed to oilseed breeding.

C.T. Patel: Developed the world’s first cotton hybrid in 1970.

Santhanam: Renowned cotton breeder.

Scientific Contributions and Global Impact

M.S. Swaminathan: His work led to the Green Revolution in India, significantly boosting food grain production.

T.T. Chang: Developed semi-dwarf rice varieties at the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI).

C.T. Patel: Revolutionized cotton breeding with the development of hybrid cotton.

Scientific Milestones in Techniques and Theories

Gene-for-Gene Hypothesis: Flor.

Pure Line Concept: Johannsen.

Backcross Method: Harlan and Pope.

Heterosis (Hybrid Vigor): Shull.

Male Sterility in Maize: Rhoades.

Green Revolution Technology: Enabled by advances in genetics, cytogenetics, and hybridization techniques.