Learning
Question
What makes our
plants so perfect?
Success Criteria
• State why plant breeders want to
produce new varieties of crops
• Describe the improvements that can be
made to plants
• Explain how farmers can self pollinate
plants
Reproduction in Plants
• Flowers are the organs of sexual
reproduction in plants
• They have the following important
structures:
Reproduction in Plants
• The anther produces the male
gamete in plants
• Pollen grains
• The ovary produces the female
gamete in plants
• Ovule
Breeding in Plants
• Plant breeders produce new varieties of
flowers and crops with desired
characteristics (genotypes & phenotypes)
• Plant breeders select healthy plants with
chosen characteristics to breed from
Why are plants selectively pollinated?
Plants are crossbred to introduce traits/genes from one variety or
line into a new genetic background
• For example, a mildew-resistant pea may be crossed with a highyielding but susceptible pea, the goal of the cross being to
introduce mildew resistance without losing the high-yield
characteristics
• Plant breeders are usually working towards improving crop
productivity
• Plants that can withstand diseases better
• Cope better with adverse weather conditions
• Give a better crop yield
Breeding in Plants
Breeding in Plants
• Plant breeders can self-pollinate plants
• Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anther
to the stigma from the same or another plant
• This means they take pollen from a healthy plant with
desirable characteristics and use it to pollinate other
plants with desirable characteristics
• This method is called selective pollination
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
v=W_CnR0Ak604
1. What do farmers achieve by selective
pollination?
2. Give examples of characteristics a farmer
would look for the parent plant to have.
3. Why do plant breeders want to produce new
varieties of crops
4. Describe the improvements that can be
made to plants
5. Explain how farmers self pollinate plants