Plant breeding is the purposeful manipulation of plant species genetically in order to create desired plant types that are better suited for cultivation, give better yields and are disease resistant.

• Plant domestication is the process whereby wild plants have been evolved into crop plants through artificial selection. This was the first step to enhancing the crop yielding process.
• Agriculture: It is the science of fanning, rearing and management of domesticated plants and animals.
• Variety: It is race/breed of organisms of a species having the same or similar genotype which differ from other groups of individuals of the same species in one more traits.
• Improved Variety: It is the race/ breed of a species which is superior to all other existing varieties in one more traits.
• Crossing of pure lines followed by artificial selection of parent plants with desirable traits of higher yield, nutrition and resistant to disease are the general procedures involved in classical plant breeding.
• However, due to advancement of biotechnology and genetics, plant breeding is now been carried using several genetic tools.

Objectives of plant breeding

• Higher yielding: Improvements in the quantitative characters like increase in yield of seeds, grains, fibers, oils.

• Improved food quality: This includes:
  

• Increase in protein content and quality.
• Increase in oil content and quality.
• Increase in Vitamin content.
• Increase in Micronutrient and mineral content

Developing resistance to disease Developing Resistance to Insect Pests

• Maturity Duration: Breeding for early maturing varieties suitable for different dates of planting. This enables the farmer to take two-three crops in at year.
• Photo and Thermo Insensitivity: Development of photo and thermo insensitive varieties in rice and wheat will permit to extend their cultivation to new areas. 
  

• Wider Adaptability: Useful for Mechanical Cultivation: To develop a variety that should give response to application of fertilizers, manures and irrigation, suitable for mechanical cultivation etc.

• Elimination of Toxic Substance: It is essential to develop varieties free from toxic compounds in some crops to make them safe for consumption