PLANT IDEOTYPE CONCEPT

INTRODUCTION
 It is a biological model which is expected to perform or behave in a predictable manner within
a defined environment.
 Ideotype term is given by C.M. Donald (1968)
 According to Donald: A crop ideotype is a plant modal which is expected to yield greater
quantity or quality of grain, oil or other useful product when developed as cultivar.
Main Points about Ideotype
1. Crop ideotype refers to model plant or ideal plant type for a specific environment.
2. Donald included only morphological characters to define an ideotype of wheat subsequently,
physiological and biochemical traits were also included for broadening the concept of crop
ideotype.
3. Ideal plants are expected to give higher yield than old cultivars.
4. Ideotype is a moving goal which changes according to climatic situations, type of cultivation,
market requirement etc.
IDEOTYPE DEFINITION
1. Donald (1968) coined the term ideotype which refers to an idealized plant type with specific
combination of characteristic, favorable to photosynthesis
2. Gallais (1983) defined ideotype as an abstract genotype with an ideal ‘profile under the
conditions of agricultural practice, will give to a maximum economic yield.
3. Yoshida (1981) and Rasmusson (1987) specified that ideotype refers to a set of traits that are
believed to enhance genetic yield potential.
4. Janoria further resolved the crop ideotype as being comprised of morphotype, physiotype and
agrotype
SYNONYMS OF IDEOTYPE
 Model plant type
 Ideal model plant type
 Ideal plant type
FEATURES OF PLANT IDEOTYPE
1. An Ideotype will be the most efficient in utilizing its environmental resources.
2. Each unit of dry matter produced will include such a number of flowers/ florets or other sinks
that is able to accept all the photosynthates either from its own green surface or from other
parts of the plant.
3. Ideotype is a moving goal.
 4. The Ideotype must include such morphological and physiological characteristics that result in a
high harvest index.
5. A crop Ideotype must be grown as far as possible in weeds free situations.

TYPE OF PLANT IDEOTYPE (DONALDS)

Market Ideotype:
The traits determine the market acceptability of the produce. (Seed colour, Seed size, cooking, backing)
Climatic Ideotype
Traits important in climatic adaptation: (Early maturity, thermoperiod insensitivity, Heat and Cold
tolerance, drought tolerance)
Edaphic Ideotype:
Traits related to salinity tolerance, mineral toxicity or deficiency tolerance
Stress Ideotype:
Traits involved resistance to the concerned biotic stress and abiotic stress.
Disease or pest Ideotype
Traits are involved resistance to the concerned disease and pests.
Insect Ideotype
Traits are involved resistance to the concerned insects.
WHAT IS IDEOTYPE BREEDING
IDEOTYPE BREEDING:-
Ideotype breeding or plant type breeding can be defined as a method of crop improvement which is
used to enhance the genetic yield potential through genetic manipulation of Individual plant character.
WHY WE SELECT THE IDEOTYPE BREEDING:
1. Selection is focussed on individual plant characters.
2. Ideotype breeding includes various morphological, physiological and biochemical plant
characters.
3. Value of each trait is defined in advance.
4. Phenotype of new variety to be developed is specified in advance.
Differences between Traditional breeding & Ideotype breeding
Traditional breeding Ideotype breeding
The main objective is defined before initiating the The conceptual theoretical model is prepared
breeding work before initiation of breeding work.
Selection is focused on yield and some other Selection is focused on individual plant characters
characters.
It usually includes various morphological and It includes various morphological, physiological and
economic characters biochemical plant characters.
Value of each character is not fixed in advance. Value of each trait is defined in advance.
This is a simple and rapid method of cultivar This is a difficult and slow method of cultivar
development. development.
The phenotype of a new variety is not specified in Phenotype of new variety to be developed is
advance. specified in advance.

STEPS INVOLVED IN IDEOTYPE BREEDING

 Development of conceptual theoretical model.
 Selection of base material
 Incorporation of desirable characters into a single genotype
 Selection of ideal or model plant type
CHOICE OF TRAITS FOR IDEOTYPE/ SELECTION
 The importance of trait in enhancing yield.
 Heritable variation must be present for the character
 The measurement of trait should be inexpensive and reliable.
 The trait should have high heritability
WHEAT IDEOTYPE (Donald, 1968)
Characters:
• Dwarf stature
• Uniculm nature- short and strong
• Awns present
 • Large ear and erect
• Few, small and erect leaves
• A short and strong stem
• High proportion of seminal roots
MAIN FEATURES OF WHEAT IDEOTYPE
1. Short strong stem:-
It reduces the risk of lodging and would also reduce the amount of photosynthates invested in stem
production.
2. Erect leaves:-
Such leaves provide better arrangement for proper light distribution resulting in high photosynthesis or
CO2 fixation.
3. Few small leaves:-
Leaves are the important sites of photosynthesis, respiration and transpiration. Few and small leaves.
Reduce water loss due to transpiration.
4. Larger ear:-
It will produce more grains per ear.
5. An erect ear:-
It will get light from all sides resulting in proper grain development.
6. Presence of awns:-
Awns contribute towards Photosynthesis.
MODERN WHEAT PLANT TYPE
CIMMYT breeders are using increased knowledge of the physiological bases of yield to define a range of
optimal wheat plant ideotypes.
Plants with large spikes, which contain many grains per spikelet
The optimization of source-sink relationships is also being examined with a view to obtaining a better
balance of grain filling characters
The hexaploid wheat and other gene pools are being searched for
examples of extreme expression of these characters
Ideotype of Rice
• Shorter culm length (100 cm)
• Greater culm diameter which increases culm strength.
• Lower relative internode elongation
• High tillering capacity
• Short, erect, thick and highly angled leaves
 • High harvest index
• More penicles/ m2
NEW PLANT TYPE OF RICE (IRRI)
• Low tillering,(9-10 tillers for transplanted conditions)-all of them productive
• No unproductive tillers
• 200-250 grains per penicle
• Dark green, thick and erect leaves
• Vigorous and deep root system
Ideotype of Maize
1. Low tillers
2. Large cobs
3. Angled leaves for good light interception
Ideotype of Barley
1. Long awns
2. High harvest index
3. High biomass
4. Short stature
Ideotype of Cotton
1. Short stature (90 – 120 cm )
2. Short duration (150 -165 days )
3. Responsive to high fertilizer dose
4. High degree of resistance to insect, pest and diseases.
IRRIGATED CONDITION:-
 Plants of short stature (90 – 120 cm).
 Responsive to high fertilizer dose.
 High degree of resistance to insects, pests and diseases.
 High physiological efficiency.
 Short duration (150 - 165 days).
RAINFED CONDITION:-
 Short stature (75- 80cm) and compact plant habit.
 Responsive to nutrients.
 High Degree of resistance to insects and diseases.
 Medium to big boll size (3.5 – 4 gm ).
Practical achievements
 Ideotype breeding has significantly contributed to enhance yields in cereals( wheat, rice) and
millets (Sorghum, pearl millet) through the use of dwarfing gene resulting in green revolution
 Norin 10 in wheat and Dee- geo-woo-gen in rice are sources of dwarfing gene.
 Semidwarf varieties of wheat and rice are highly responsive to water use and nitrogen
application and have wide adaptation
1. Semidwarf variety of rice :- IR- 8, IR-20, TN- 1
2. Semidwarf variety of Wheat :- Kalyan sona, Sonalika
Factors affected to Ideotype breeding:-
 Crop species
 Cultivation
 Socio – economic condition of farmers
 Economic use
1. Crop Species:-
Ideotype differs from crop to crop
• In monocots :- Tillering is important
• In dicots: - branching is important.
2. Cultivation:-
The features of irrigated crops differ from that of rainfed crop.
3. Socio- economic condition of farmers:-
Dwarf sorghum is del for mechanical harvesting in USA but it is not suitable for the farmers of
Africa where the stalks are used for fuel of hut construction.
4. Economic use:-
The Ideotype also differs according to the economic use of the crop
 Dwarf types are useful in sorghum and pearl millets when the crop is grown for grain purpose
but when it is grown for fodder purpose taller stature is required.
 Less leafy type: - grain purpose
 More leafy type: - fodder purpose
MERITS OF IDEOTYPE BREEDING
 Ideotype breeding is an effective method of enhancing yield through manipulation of various
morphological and physiological crop characters.
 In this methods values of various morphological and physiological traits are specified
  Ideotype breeding involves experts from the disciplines of plant breeding, physiology,
biochemistry, entomology and plant pathology. Each specialist contributes in the development
of model plants for traits related to his field.
 Ideotype breeding provides solution to problems at a time like disease, insect and lodging
resistance, maturity duration, yield and quality by combining desirable genes for these traits
from different sources into a single genotype.
 It is an efficient method of developing cultivars for specific situation or environment .
DEMERITS OR LIMITATIONS
1. Incorporation of traits from different sources in to single genotype is difficult task.
2. Ideotype breeding is a slow method
3. Ideotype breeding is a expensive method
4. Ideotype breeding is not a substitute for traditional or conventional breeding
5. Ideotype breeding is a moving object
FUTURE PROSPECTS
1. Ideotype should be developed to adverse conditions
2. Development of crop Ideotype is continuous process
3. For the development of new plant type various methods can be included
4. Crop Ideotype have been developed especially in cereals and millets but now it can also be
developed in oil seeds, cotton, pulses
5. There is ample scope of developing hybrid Ideotype in crop like maize, sorghum, pearl millet and
rice.
CONCLUSION
1. Ideotype breeding is an effective method of breaking yield barriers.
2. In these methods values of various morphological and physiological trait contributes toward
enhanced yield.
3. Modern breeding approaches like molecular breeding etc may be incorporated to develop
superior plant type in short time through ideotype breeding.
4. Ideotype breeding may be a substitute for traditional or conventional breeding.
5. Sometimes, combining of some character is difficult due to tight linkage.