Supervised practical application of advanced plant breeding concepts. Students will directly interact with scientists directing applied breeding programs on a diversity of crops and the various breeding strategies used in their improvement.
Athena Title
Adv Plant Breeding Practicum
Equivalent Courses
Not open to students with credit in PBGG 8001
Non-Traditional Format
Course consists of a series of field trips to visit and interact with plant breeders on the Athens, Griffin, and Tifton campuses.
Prerequisite
PBGG(CRSS)(HORT) 8140 or permission of department
Semester Course Offered
Offered summer semester every year.
Grading System
A - F (Traditional)
Student learning Outcomes
Students will understand the scope of research methods, techniques, breeding strategies, and resources used in plant breeding programs.
Students will understand how plant breeding programs are planned, implemented, financed, and managed.
Students will understand plant breeding techniques unique to specific crops/traits.
Students will gain the ability to design a comprehensive plant breeding program for a hybrid crop.
Topical Outline
First-hand experience and deep understanding of plant breeding programs
Plant reproduction and corresponding breeding strategies
Field-plot technique and design
Strategies of plant breeding programs to address end users’ needs using modern technologies
Implementation of marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, and other modern and emerging techniques
Introgression strategies for conventional and transgenic traits
Data collection and analysis
Data collection, analysis, and interpretation
Work in and inter-disciplinary teams
Design a comprehensive, modern plant breeding program for a hybrid crop to demonstrate understanding of germplasm resources, breeding strategies, field design, use of modern technologies (e.g., marker-assisted selection, genomic selection, gene editing, & transgenes), budgetary and personnel needs, intellectual property, and licensing
