Inbred

Inbred 

the offspring of a cross-pollinating plant obtained as a result of repeated forced self-pollination. With repeated self-pollination the viability and yield of the offspring are decreased, while the homogeneity in respect to the genotype is increased. As a result of heterosis, hybrids from the crossbreeding of inbreds are substantially superior to the parent forms in vigor of development and seed yield. For this reason, inbreds are important in the production of hybrid seeds of corn, sugar beets, cucumbers, and other crops.

Varieties or hybrids serve as the initial material in the development of inbreds. Succeeding generations are culled until the necessary homogeneity is attained, usually in the sixth generation. In culling, special attention is paid to the combining ability of the inbred. Only inbreds that with cross-pollination produce high-yield hybrids are selected. Inbreds are used to obtain hybrids of various types—for example, simple and double hybrids between lines and between varieties and lines. The highest yields are obtained from hybrids between lines, which are widely used, for example, in corn production.

REFERENCE

Guliaev, G. V., and Iu. L. Guzhov. Selektsiia i semenovodstvo polevykh kul’tur. Moscow, 1972.

IU. L. GUZHOV