Course Description
Concepts and methods of improving ornamentals, particularly woody and asexually propagated ornamentals. Topics include breeding methods, pollination biology, barriers to obtaining seed set in intra- and interspecific pollenations and methods to overcome these barriers, genetic variation, polyploidy, and inheritance of foliar variegation.
Athena Title
BREED ORNAMENTALS
Non-Traditional Format
Course meets for three hours of lecture per week during second five weeks of the semester.
Semester Course Offered
Offered spring
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Course Objectives
To develop an appreciation and knowledge of factors involved in developing improved ornamental plants.
Topical Outline
Developing a breeding program Methods used in ornamental plant breeding Qualitative vs. quantitative traits Pollination and fertilization control mechanisms Genetic implications of self vs. cross pollinated crops Number of chromosomes and polyploidy Interspecific and intergeneric crossing Inheritance of variegation Somatic cell genetics