Amit Tomar

This book has been designed to cover the course of graduate and Post-graduate levels of various Indian Agricultural and general Universities. It also covers the syllabus of Agricultural Research Services Examination and National Eligibility Test conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. This book also helpful to the scientists and academicians those who are engage in agricultural research in India. Hopeful this book also helpful to the students those are engage to preparation of competitive examinational related to agriculture.

This book has been designed to cover the course of graduate and Post-graduate levels of various Indian Agricultural and general Universities. It also covers the syllabus of Agricultural Research Services Examination and National Eligibility Test conducted by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research, New Delhi. This book also helpful to the scientists, students and other areas related to the agricultural research systems in India.

Plant breeding is the science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. It has been used to improve the quality of nutrition in products for humans and animals. Plant breeding can be accomplished through many different techniques ranging from simply selecting plants with desirable characteristics for propagation, to methods that make use of knowledge of genetics and chromosomes, to more complex molecular techniques. Genes in a plant are what determine what type of qualitative or quantitative traits it will have. Plant breeders strive to create a specific outcome of plants and potentially new plant varieties. Plant breeding has been practiced for thousands of years, since near the beginning of human civilization. It is practiced worldwide by individuals such as gardeners and farmers, and by professional plant breeders employed by organizations such as government institutions, universities, crop-specific industry associations or research centers. International development agencies believe that breeding new crops is important for ensuring food security by developing high yielding, disease, insect pest resistant varieties.

Plant breeding is an important branch of agriculture, in which development of new hybrid varieties for increasing yield, quality, resistance against several diseases, insects and other parasitic weeds, Keeping in mind, the importance of seeds, "Fundamentals of Plant Breeding Practical Manual" is published to provide the general information about different seed testing seed production techniques. The practical manual has been written in simple and lucid language under Indian context. I am thankful to my school mates Dr. Anshuman Singh, Scientist in Genetics & Plant Breeding (AICRIP Chickpea) and Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Teaching Associate in Genetics & Plant Breeding at Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, U. P., India. For providing me suitable environment to prepare this manuscript. I am thankful to Dr. Mahak Singh, Professor, Genetics & Plant Breeding, CSAUA&T-Kanpur and Dr. Mukesh Srivastava, Registrar, RLBCAU, Jhnasi, U. P., for their help. I am also thankful to my life partner Mrs. Shaksi Tomar, loving daughter Prisha Tomar for their encouragement and inspiration during the preparation of the manuscript of the manual.

Seed is an basic tool of agriculture. Agronomically any plant part which is used to regenerate the whole plant is called seed, botanically seed having living embryo for germination, endosperm for reserve food materials and seed coat for protective means. The success of crop production depends on the quality of seeds used for sowing or planting. Keeping in mind, the importance of seeds, "Crop Improvement-I (Kharif Crops)" is published to provide the general information about different seed testing seed production techniques. The practical manual has been written in simple and lucid language under Indian context. I am thankful to my school mates Dr. Anshuman Singh, Scientist in Genetics & Plant Breeding (AICRIP Chickpea) and Dr. Manoj Kumar Singh, Teaching Associate in Genetics & Plant Breeding at Rani Laxmi Bai Central Agricultural University, Jhansi, U. P., India. For providing me materials to compeleting this manuscript. I am thankful to Dr. Mahak Singh, Professor, Genetics & Plant Breeding, CSAUA&T-Kanpur and Dr. Mukesh Srivastava, Registrar, RLBCAU, Jhnasi, U. P., for their help. I am also thankful to my life partner Mrs. Shaksi Tomar, loving daughter Navya Tomar.