Basic Plant Breeding
Basic Plant Breeding can by taken as an entire course (all three units) or each unit can be taken individually. For participants in our Professional Certificate in Plant Breeding and Genetics, completion of all three units is required.
- Unit 1 – Introduction to Basic Plant Breeding Introduction to Basic Plant Breeding provides a review of plant reproduction, genetic variation, gene banks, germplasm preservation, gene segregation, the power of selection and its role in plant breeding, and an introduction to intellectual property and its role in the life of a plant breeder. This unit is designed to prepare the participant to explore the genetics and methodologies employed by plant breeders of self and cross pollinated crop species in units two and three of Basic Plant Breeding. Introduction to Basic Plant Breeding Overview Video (flash) (mp4)Cost – $226.55
- Unit 2 – Breeding Self Pollinated CropsThe frequency of any specific heterozygous locus will be reduced by 50% for every generation of selfing, resulting in a mixture of homozygous lines within any natural population. Phenotypic selection within heterozygous generations will lead to homozygous or near homozygous germplasm lines or cultivars under self-pollination. This unit is designed to communicate plant breeding methodologies that take advantage of the genetic consequences of natural or forced self-pollination in agronomic crops. Topics will include: [1] the basics of segregation, [2] breeding methodologies, [3] the grain sorghum conversion program-an example of backcrossing in a different direction, [4] review of a commercial soybean cultivar development program, and [5] a review of the types of genetic releases from Texas A&M AgriLife Research. Breeding Self Pollinated Crops Overview Video (flash) (mp4)Cost – $226.55
- Unit 3 – Breeding Cross Pollinated Crops Topics covered include: quantitative genetics and plant breeding, effects of selection on Hardy Weinberg Equilibrium, mating designs with cross pollinated crops, breeding methods for cross pollinated crops, deviations from Mendelian ratios, genetic male sterility and hybrid seed production, seed certification and types of release. Cost – $226.55
- Full Course (all 3 Units)Cost – $679.65
Recommended textbooks are “Breeding Field Crops” by J.M. Poehlman and D.A. Sleper, and “Principles of Cultivar Development” by W.F. Fehr. A final exam will allow the participant to assess their grasp of topics covered. Participants in the Plant Breeding and Genetic Certificate Program must score 70% on the final exam for each unit.
This is a “self-paced” course and is available for viewing for a limited time. Time commitment is individual student driven. Few outside assignments are made. Students should view each lecture, review all previous lectures and be prepared to discuss any issues that are unclear. Each unit has a printable note set and most units have a set of review questions that can be used as a tool to check your comprehension and grasp of unit concepts. Feel free to contact the instructor, Dr. Wayne Smith, by e-mail ([email protected]) or phone (979-845-3450) with any questions you have or if you need additional information.
Advanced Plant Breeding
Sample Lesson: (mp4)
Expectations of genetic improvement for different plant breeding methods; relative efficiency for crops of different reproductive mechanisms; genetic variances, covariances and genotype-environment interaction components of variance used in planning selection procedures.
Advanced Plant Breeding can by taken as an entire course (all three units) or each unit can be taken individually. For participants in our Professional Certificate in Plant Breeding and Genetics, completion of all three units is required.
- Unit 1 – Advanced Genetic Principles in Plant Breeding Topics covered include: Hardy Weinberg, means and variances, covariances and heritability, mating designs, genetic diversity. Cost – $226.55
- Unit 2 – Selection: Theory and Practice in Advanced Plant Breeding Topics covered include: recurrent selection, inbred line selection and testcrossing, selection environments, indirect selection, multiple trait selection, QTL MAS, heterosis and hybrid prediction. Cost – $226.55
- Unit 3 – Statistical Tools in Advanced Plant Breeding
Topics covered include: statistical concepts review, expected mean squares and combined analysis, GxE interactions and stability analysis, polyploidy.
Cost – $226.55 - Full Course (all 3 Units) Cost – $679.65
Experimental Designs in Agronomic Research
Teaches fundamental principles and procedures of experimental designs in agricultural sciences. Emphasis includes factorial designs, predicting outputs, use of covariance, and balanced and unbalanced experimental designs as related to common agricultural research projects under field, greenhouse or growth chamber culture. Students will become familiarized with computer programming of common statistical software.
Experimental Designs in Agronomic Research can by taken as an entire course (all three units) or each unit can be taken individually. For participants in our Professional Certificate in Plant Breeding and Genetics, completion of all three units is required.
- Unit 1 – Factorial Experimental Designs in Agronomic Research Topics covered include: Fundamentals of agricultural research methodology and methodology, basic statistical concepts for testing of hypothesis, introduction to simple computer statistical software programs and applications, complete randomized design, randomized complete block design, and Latin square design. Cost – $226.55
- Unit 2 – Factorial and Unbalanced Designs in Agronomic ResearchTopics covered include: Split-plot and split-split plot designs, nested designs, variance analyses, interactions with years and locations, comparisions of paired and grouped mean, estimation of missing values, the general linear model, and planned incomplete block design. Cost – $226.55
- Unit 3 – Correlation, Regression, Covariance, and Biplot Analysis in Agronomic Research Topics covered include: Correlation, regression, path coefficient analysis, covariance analysis, nearest neighbor analysis, augmented designs and moving means and analysis, database management, biplot analyses. Cost – $226.55
- Full Course (all 3 Units) Cost – $679.65
Course Requirements
To fully participate in the class, distance education students should have:
- High speed internet connection and updated browser
- Common plug-ins (e.g. Adobe Reader, Flash Player, Virus Protection, etc.)
- Speakers
- Access to common statistical software such as SAS
This is a “self-paced” course and is available for viewing for a limited time. Time commitment is individual student driven. Students should view each lecture, review all previous lectures and be prepared to discuss any issues that are unclear. Each unit has a printable note set and voiced over PowerPoint video lectures.
Quantitative Genetics and Plant Breeding
Full Course (3 Units): Cost – $679.65
Applied aspects of quantitative genetics in plant breeding; examination of methodologies to analyze quantitative variation in crop species; genetic phenomena (inbreeding, heterosis and epistasis); quantitative trait loci (QTL) mapping and marker-assisted selection (MAS); genotype by environment interaction, heritability multiple traits and selection theory with implications in plant breeding.
Plant Breeding Fundamentals
Full Course (3 Units): Cost – $679.65
Introduction to the field of plant breeding for students without a plant breeding background. Includes common plant breeding terminology and introduction of concepts. Genetic improvement of crops by hybridization and selection; special breeding methods and techniques applicable to naturally self-pollinated, cross-pollinated and asexually reproduced plants.
Analysis of Complex Genomes
Sample Lesson: (flash)
- Module I (1 Unit) – DNA Marker Technology and Genetic Mapping: Cost – $226.55
- Module II (1 Unit) – Recombinant DNA and Cloning: Cost – $226.55
- Module III (1 Unit) – Sequencing Genomes and Other Genomic Tools: Cost – $226.55
- Full Course (3 Units): Cost – $679.65
Genome structure, organization and function of model organisms and higher eukaryotes; theory and methodology of genetic and physical mapping, comparative genomics, sequencing, sequence analysis and annotation; emphasis on understanding the function of complex genomes, genome-wide expression analysis, genetic and epigenetic mechanisms; X-inactivation, imprinting, gene silencing, transposons, genome duplication and evaluation.
Introduction to Host Plant Resistance
1 Unit: Cost – $226.55
Host plant resistance programs form the standpoint of the plant breeder.
Intellectual Properties in the Plant Sciences
Full Course – 3 Units – Cost: $679.65
This course introduces the major foci of intellectual property (IP) impacting plant sciences, including: 1) traditional vs. emerging knowledge economies, 2) governing U.S. statutes and international treaties, 3) forms of IP protection, and 4) IP asset identification, valuation, capture, and deployment towards an understanding of best practices for the development of effective IP strategies and management of IP portfolios. This course is available as a full 3 unit course or as individual 1 unit courses.
- Unit I: Introduction to Intellectual Property, International Treaties and Patents Unit I of the Intellectual Properties in the Plant Sciences Course. Topics covered include: IP Culture and the Knowledge Economy, Traditional Knowledge vs. Biopiracy, Sui generis Systems, International Treaties, Overview of Patentability, Utility Patents, and Plant Variety Patents. – Cost: $226.55
- Unit II: Intellectual Property Documentation – 1 Unit Unit II of the Intellectual Properties in the Plant Sciences Course. Topics covered include: Trademarks, Copyrights, & Trade Secrets; USPTO; Inventorship, Ownership, Compensation, IP Training; Confidential Information; IP Audit; IP Value; Competitive Intelligence; Cyberspace – IP and IT Cooperation. – Cost: $226.55
- Unit III: Intellectual Property Transfer and Enforcement – 1 Unit Unit III of the Intellectual Properties in the Plant Sciences Course. Topics covered include: Intellectual Property Transfer and Enforcement, IP Case Studies, IP Portfolio, IP Strategy and Leveraging IP Value. – Cost: $226.55
Genetics
3 Units: Cost – $679.65
Development of fundamental concepts related to the structure, function, organization, transmission and distribution of genetic material. Limited course availability – please contact LeAnn Hague at [email protected] if you are interested in this course.