Basic concepts in plant breeding and genetic engineering

This course handout deals with Plant Breeding an important science in sustainable development and food security in agriculture. This multi-disciplinary science aims to create new elite varieties known as ideotypes that meet the nutritional needs of populations. Plant breeding is constantly evolving especially with the development of recent biotechnological techniques such as Genetic Engineering which has made an effective contribution to varietal creation by gathering the favorable genes coding for traits of interest. This booklet is intended primarily for university students enrolled in LMD Biological Sciences Precision Agriculture and Agronomy who have a basic knowledge of fundamental genetics and want to learn more about this field. This book can also be a teaching tool and a good guide for students involved in basic and professional scientific research.