FDRE Technical and Vocational Training Institute

Department:-- Coffee, Tea and Spices Production

Technology.
CourseTitle :-Breeding and Biotechnology of Coffee,
Tea and Spices.
Group assignment
March 29,2024
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
OUT LINE
 Introduction
 Definition of Distant Hybridization
 Barriers to the production of distant hybridization
 Techniques for the production of distant hybrids and
their sterility
 Application of distant hybridization in crop
improvement
 Introduction
• A distant hybridization in plant breeding refers to the
crossing of two plants that are genetically distinct or
distantly related.
• The term "distant" indicates that the parental plants
belong to different species or even different genera.
 Con…

• This method of hybridization is often

employed to introduce desirable traits from
one plant species into another.
• The process of creating a distant hybrid
involves overcoming natural reproductive
barriers that exist between different species.
 Con…

• These barriers can include differences in chromosome

structure, ploidy levels, or incompatible mating
systems.

• Plant breeders employ various techniques to overcome

these barriers, such as embryo rescue, tissue culture,
hormone treatments, or manual pollination.
 Con…
• Therefore, subsequent breeding and selection steps are
usually required to stabilize the desired traits and restore
fertility in subsequent generations.
• Distant hybridization is a valuable tool in plant
breeding, allowing breeders to expand the genetic
diversity available for crop improvement and create
novel plant varieties with desired traits.
 1. Barriers to the production of distant hybridization

• Distant hybrid production in plants can be challenging

due to several barriers that exist between genetically
distant or unrelated species.
• These barriers can impede successful hybridization and
the production of fertile offspring.
• There are some common barriers encountered in distant
hybrid production such as;
 Con…
I. Failure of zygote formation / cross incompatibility:-
• Inability of the functional pollens of one species or genera
to effect fertilization of the female gametes of another
species or genera are referred to as cross incompatibility.
It may be due to:

 Failure of fertilization, because the pollen may not

germinate.
 Con…
 Pollen tube is unable to reach to embryo sac and hence
sperms are not available for fertilization

 The style of the female parent may be longer than the

usual length of the pollen tube growth therefore the
pollen does not reach the embryo sac.

 Pollen tubes of polyploidy species are usually thicker

than those of diploid species
II. Failure of zygote Development / Hybrid inviability:-

• The inability of a hybrid zygote to grow into a normal

embryo under the usual conditions of development is
referred to as hybrid inviability. This may be due to:

 Lethal genes:- some species carry a lethal gene, which

causes death of the interspecific hybrid zygote during
early embryonic development.
 Con…

 Genetic Incompatibility: Genetic differences between

species can lead to incompatibilities at the molecular
level, affecting various aspects of reproductive
processes.
 Genetic incompatibility is often a major obstacle in
achieving successful distant hybridization
 Con…

 Incompatible cytoplasm:-Embryo development may be

blocked by an incompatibility between cytoplasm of the
species used as female and the genome of the species
used as male.
 Such an interaction, more generally, leads to hybrid
weakness and male sterility in the hybrids or may
sometimes leads to failure of embryo developments.
 Con…
• Endosperm Abortion:-Seeds from a large number of
distant crosses are not fully developed and are shrunken
due to poorly developed endosperm.
- Such seeds show poor germination, and may often fail
to germinate.
- When the endosperm development is poor or is
blocked, the condition is generally known as endosperm
abortion.
 Con…
 Chromosome Number and Structure: Distantly
related species may have different numbers or
structures of chromosomes, which can create
obstacles during hybridization.
- Incompatibilities in chromosome pairing and
segregation can result in reduced fertility or sterility in
the hybrid offspring.
 ❖ Failure of Hybrid seedling development / Hybrid
sterility
• Some distant hybrids die during seedling development or
even after initiation of flowering.
• The mechanisms involved in the failure of seedling
development most likely involve complementary lethal
genes
• Hybrid sterility refers to the inability of a hybrid to
produce viable off spring.
• The main cause of hybrid sterility is lack of structural
homology between the chromosomes of two species.
 2. Techniques for the production of distant hybrids
and their sterility

There are some techniques commonly used to achieve

successful distant hybridization such as :-
• Choice of parents: Genetic differences exist among
parents in a species for cross compatibility.
- More compatible parents should be selected for use in
wide crosses.
 Con…
Embryo Rescue:
• In cases where embryo development is delayed due to
genetic or physiological incompatibilities, embryo
rescue techniques can be employed.
• This involves excising embryos at an early stage of
development from the maternal plant and providing
them with a suitable growth medium in a controlled
environment.
• This technique allows for the development of hybrid
embryos that would otherwise fail to develop in the
natural environment.
 Con…
Tissue Culture:
• Tissue culture techniques involve growing plant cells,
tissues, or organs in a sterile, nutrient-rich medium.
• By using tissue culture, it is possible to overcome
barriers related to incompatibilities in pollen
germination, pollen tube growth, or embryo
development.
.
 Con…
Hormone Treatments:
• Hormone treatments can be used to stimulate or enhance the
success of distant hybridization.
• For example, the application of growth regulators or
hormones, such as auxins or cytokinins, can promote pollen
germination, pollen tube growth, and embryo development.
• Hormonal treatments can help overcome barriers related to
gamete incompatibility or irregular embryo development
 Con…
Manual Pollination:
• In some cases, manual pollination is necessary to ensure
successful cross-pollination between distant species.
• This involves physically transferring pollen from the male
parent to the stigma of the female parent.
• Manual pollination allows for precise control over the
pollination process, enabling breeders to bypass natural
barriers and facilitate hybridization.
 Con…
Genetic Manipulation:
• Genetic manipulation techniques, such as genetic
engineering or gene editing, can be employed to
overcome genetic incompatibilities and enhance the
success of distant hybridization.
• By introducing specific genes or modifying existing
ones, breeders can manipulate the expression of
genes involved in reproductive processes, embryo
development, or hybrid vigor, thus increasing the
chances of obtaining viable hybrids.
 Con…
Back-crossing and Selection:
• After initial hybridization, subsequent generations of back
crossing with one of the parental species followed by
careful selection can help stabilize the desired traits and
eliminate undesirable characteristics.
• Back crossing allows for the gradual introgression of the
desired traits from one species into another while
simultaneously removing genetic barriers and restoring
fertility.
 3. Application of distant hybridization in crop
improvement

Introducing Novel Traits:

• Distant hybridization allows for the introduction of novel
traits into crop plants.
• By crossing distantly related species, breeders can introduce
genetic diversity and incorporate desirable traits that may not
exist within the cultivated gene pool.
• These traits can include disease resistance, abiotic stress
tolerance, improved yield, nutritional quality, and other
agronomically important characteristics
 Con…

Hybrid Vigor (Heterosis):

• Distant hybridization can harness the phenomenon of
hybrid vigor, also known as heterosis.
• Hybrids resulting from the crossing of genetically
diverse parents often exhibit superior traits compared
to their parents, such as increased yield, enhanced
vigor, and improved stress tolerance..
 Con…
Disease Resistance:
• Distant hybridization can be used to introduce resistance to
diseases that affect crop plants.
• By crossing cultivated varieties with wild or wild-relative
species that possess natural resistance to specific pathogens,
breeders can transfer the resistance traits into the cultivated
gene pool.
• This can help develop crop varieties with enhanced disease
resistance and reduce the reliance on chemical pesticides.
 Con…

• Abiotic Stress Tolerance: Distant hybridization can

be employed to improve the tolerance of crops to
various abiotic stresses, such as drought, salinity,
heat, and cold.

• Nutritional Enhancement: Distant hybridization can

be used to improve the nutritional quality of crops.
By crossing cultivated varieties with wild or exotic
species that have desirable nutritional traits
 Con…
• Environmental Adaptation: Distant hybridization
can help develop crop varieties that are better adapted
to specific environmental conditions.
• By incorporating genes from species that thrive in
certain ecological niches, breeders can enhance the
adaptability of crops to different climates, soil types,
or agroecological regions.
 Con…
Crop Diversity and Genetic Resource Conservation
• Distant hybridization can contribute to the conservation
and utilization of crop genetic resources.
• By crossing cultivated species with their wild relatives
or related species, breeders can preserve and utilize the
genetic diversity present in wild populations.
Thank you for
your attention!.