Genetics

LECTURES

Students are introduced to variability of traits, inheritance of qualitative and quantitative traits, genes and their variability, chromosomes, gene expressivity, embryonic differentiation of cells, cytoplasmic inheritance component, basics of molecular structure and gene structure, mutations, population genetics, heterosis and transgression phenomena. Parameters of quantitative traits variability and types and patterns of inheritance of quantitative characteristics at forest trees are discussed. Students are introduced to phenomena of modification, phenotypic stability, adaptedness and interaction of the genotype and the environment, and to heredity and phenotypic similarity between the relatives. Hardy-Weinberg law, genetic drift and testing of experimental data are discussed. In the forest trees breeding students are introduced to the importance of breeding in forest production as well as to the importance of genotype X environment interaction at some particular species of forest trees. Genetic components of constant variability, selection and propagation of trial material, breeding methods by selection, hybridisation and mutation are studied. Geographic variability of forest trees, testing of vegetative material and planning of testing of forest trees as well as genetic aspects of seed production in seed orchards and clonal seed orchards are presented. Students are introduced to the types of seed plantations, conservation of gene pool and genetic diversity of particular autochthonous forest tree species, introduction of alochthonous species in function of autochthonous species improvement, realization and outlooks of breeding endangered autochthonous and alochthonous tree species. Inheritance of quantitative traits in forest trees field trials for the analysis of the genotype and the environment variability, genetic heterogenity, methods of evauluation of the genotype - environment interaction in forest trees, genetic components of sustained variability from the planned forest tree experiments, heritability calculations, estimation of genotypic and phenotypic variances, propagation and testing of vegetative material are analysed.

SYLLABUS

III FALL SEMESTAR

1. History and branches of modern genetics. Propagation and heredity.
2. Cell structure and function of its organelles. Chromosomes (morphology, chemical and inner structure). Explanation of its genetic material function.
3. Cell division. Mitosis and meiosis. Developments of gametes and plant fertilization. Microsporogenesis and macrosporogenesis.
4. The notion of a traits and a hereditary base. Variability of characteristics. Modifications. Genotype and the environment.
5. Principle laws of the inheritance. Inheriting of qualitative traits. The causes of irregularity between phenotype relations at crossbreeding (chi - square test).
6. Inheritance of qualitative traits and their importance. Examples on the forest trees. Statistical approach.
7. Additive gene effect. Dominance and super dominance. Heterosis.
8. Statistical approach to inheritance of quantitative traits.
9. Gene interaction. Epistatic and inhibited gene function. Transgressional separation.
10. Sex determination. Intersexes. Twins.
11. Species and genus hybrids. Sexual incompatibility in plants.
12. Mutations. Gene mutations. Chromosome mutations. Chromosome number variations.
13. Induced mutation. Extra nuclear inheriting.
14. Genetics and evolution of populations. Gene and genotype frequencies. Hardy - Weinberg law.
15. Genetic drift. Changes of gene frequency.
    

IV SUMMER SEMESTER

1. 1. History of development of forest trees breeding. Aim and methods.
2. Diversity of forest trees. The concept and definition of species. Speciation.
3. Possibility of species genesis.
4. Geographic variability of forest trees. Provenance and breeding of forest trees. Variability of local populations and families within populations.
5. Selection. Mass selection (seed orchards with and without progeny tests).
6. Individual selection. Simple recurrent selection. Recurrent selection for GCA. Recurrent selection for SCA. Reciprocally recurrent selection.
7. Selection of plus trees and objective criteria of plus trees selection.
8. Improvement by hybridisation. Hybridisation within and between species. Clonal seed orchards and generative seed orchards.
9. Improvement by mutation and poliploidy.
10. Reverse crossbreeding and inbreeding improvement.
11. Vegetative propagation. Chimers.
12. A pattern of breeding for conifers and hardwoods.
13. Patterns of breeding for poplars and willows.
14. Patterns of breeding for autochthonous cultivated species of forest trees.
15. Planning of experiments in the field of forest tree breeding.