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Lecture-20: Pedigree method, Bulk method and SSD Method

Pedigree method
• The pedigree may be defined as a description of the ancestors of an individual.
• It is useful to know the relationship of two individuals and useful for selection of parents
and prediction of outcome of the cross.
• Pedigree method is applicable to both self- and cross-pollinated species. But mostly used
for the genetic improvement of self-pollinated crops.
• In self-pollinated crops, a variety developed by this method has a homozygous and
homogeneous population.
• In cross-pollinated species, it is used for developed of inbred lines.
• In the pedigree method, individual plants are selected from F2 and subsequent generations,
and their progenies are tested.
• During the entire operation a record of all parent-offspring relationships is kept. This is
known as pedigree record.
• Generally, it takes 12-13 years to release a new variety
• Procedure of Pedigree method:
• First year: Cross is made between the parents possessing desirable characters.
• Second year: Sow the F1 seeds to produce large number of F2 seeds. Harvest seeds in
bulk.
• Third year: Grow 2000-10000 plants of F2 generation and 100-500 superior plants are
selected. The selected plants are harvested separately and given serial numbers and
description entered in pedigree registers.
• Fourth year: Progeny rows of F3 are space planted and individual plants with desirable
characters are selected (about 50-100 families and about 5 plants in each family and
harvested separately).
• Fifth year: F4 plants raised again and desirable plants are selected from desirable rows
and harvested separately.
• Sixth year: F5 plants raised in 3 row plots i.e. seeds of each selected plant sown in 3 rows
and 25-50 superior plants from superior progenies are selected. Plants from each progeny
are bulked.

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• Seventh year: F6 individual plant progenies are grown in multi-row plots and evaluated
and superior progenies are selected.
• Eighth year: F7 preliminary yield trial with 3 or more replications are conducted to
identify superior lines.
• 2-5 outstanding lines are selected and advanced to coordinated yield trials.
• Ninth to eleventh year: Coordinated yield trials/ multi-locational yield trials are
conducted.
• Twelfth year: Multiplication and distribution
• Achievements:
▪ Wheat: NP-52, 120,125, 700 and 800 series
▪ Rice: ADT – 25, Jaya, Padma
▪ Cotton: Lakshmi, Digvijay
▪ Sorghum: Co 18, RS 610 etc.
▪ Tobacco: NP 222
• Mass-pedigree method:
▪ In this method, crosses are made and further generations grown in bulk or as mass until
suitable season occurs for making desirable selections against drought, insect and
diseases etc.
▪ The advantages of both bulk and pedigree methods can be obtained and large number
of crosses can be handled at a time.
▪ The disadvantage is that it takes a bit longer time.
Bulk method
• In this, F2 and subsequent generations are harvested in bulk to grow the next
generation. After that individual plant progenies selected. Mostly used to handle
segregating generations. It takes more than 15 years to develop a variety.
• The bulk method was first proposed by Nilsson Ehle in 1908.
• This method is also known as mass method or Population method or evolutionary method
of breeding.
• Procedure of Bulk method:
• Hybridization: Parents are selected according to the objective of the breeding programme.

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• F1 Generation: F1 is space-planted and harvested in bulk. The number of F1 plants should
be as large as possible; usually more than 20 plants should be grown.
• F2-F6 Generations: F2 to F6 generations are planted at commercial seed rates and
spacings. These generations are harvested in bulk. Artificial selection is generally not done.
The population size should be as large as possible, preferably 30,000-50,000 plants in each
generation.
• F7 Generations: About 30-50 thousand plants are space-planted. 1000 to 5000 plants with
superior phenotypes are selected and their seeds harvested separately.
• F8 Generation: Individual plant progenies are grown in single or multi-row plots. Most
of the progenies would be reasonably homozygous and are harvested in bulk. Only 100-
300 plant progenies with desirable characteristics are saved. In promising progenies,
individual plants may be selected; preliminary yield trial will be delayed for one year in
such cases.
• F9 Generation: Preliminary yield trial is conducted by using standard commercial
varieties as checks. The progenies which are superior than the check are advanced.
• F10-F13 Generations: Replicated yield trials are conducted over several locations using
standard commercial varieties as checks. If a line is superior to the standard varieties in
yield trials, it would be released as a new variety.
• F14 Generation: Seed of the released variety is increased for distribution to the cultivators.
A simple or a complex cross is then made depending upon the number of parents involved.
Single seed descent method
• Modification of bulk method.
• Requires less space, labor and efforts.
• Single seed from each F2 plants is bulked to raise the F3 and subsequent generations.
• Similarly, in F3 and the subsequent generations one random seed is selected from every
plant present in the population and planted in bulk to raise the next generation.
• This procedure is followed till F5 or F6 when the plants would have become nearly
homozygous.
• In F5 or F6, a large number (1 to 5 hundred) of individual plants are selected and individual
plant progenies are grown in the next generation.

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