Corn Breeding: Mass Selection

Mass selection could be called appropriately the granddaddy of all plant selection methods, because farmers of many different cultures have used it for centuries to improve many crops. Specifically, mass selection is a breeding method where the decision to select a plant as a parent of the next generation is based on the performance of that plant. In this lesson, advantages and disadvantages of mass selection will be discussed, using examples from corn breeding.

Objectives

At the completion of this lesson you will be able to

• list the key attributes of mass selection,
• discuss which type of traits are best suited to modification by mass selection,
• use the formula known as the breeders’ equation to predict the genetic gain that occurs from mass selection,
• define selection differential,
• discuss how the selection differential can be increased and what problems can arise from increasing the selection differential, and 
• list four ways to minimize the amount of inbreeding that occurs during selection.