Breeding and Genetics: Potential use of Haploids and Doubled Haploids

Tall fescue breeders have developed many improved cultivars that are successfully cultivated in the transition zone. To a large extent, emphasis is on breeding for improved animal performance. The inclusion of haploids and other biotechnologically derived plants in a tall fescue breeding program has the potential to serve as yet another tool in the development of new and improved cultivars. The culture of haploid plants from immature gametes represents a potential form of gamete selection for the tall fescue breeder. Breeding procedures that are often used by tall fescue breeders to identify superior high-combining-ability parents include the topcross, polycross, or the open-pollinated progeny test. Conventional tall fescue breeding is an endeavor that depends heavily on other scientific disciplines. These include plant pathology, plant physiology, animal science, cytogenetics, genetics, statistics, and entomology. The use of gamete-derived haploids and doubled haploids in tall fescue has the potential of facilitating and enhancing the understanding of quantitative genetics in tall fescue.