ABSTRACT
The standard method used in plant breeding has been based on genetic recombination through sexual crosses. Several steps are used in the conventional breeding work. These are collection of germplasm, selection of plants with desired characteristics, crossing the plants with desired characteristics and selection of hybrids or pure lines with combined desired characteristics. The conventional approach in developing homozygous lines is through controlled self-pollination. The mutant haploid cells can be di-ploidized later with chemical treatment and then regenerated into homozygous diploid mutant plants. A common approach in plant breeding is to start with a plant with many good traits and then introduce whatever desirable traits this plant is lacking from another plant by crossing. This task is complicated by the fact that the plant that carries those desirable traits often also carries some undesirable traits which will be incorporated into the progenies.
