Abstract
All breeding programs share one common objective – to improve a species for use within a target population of environments and a particular agricultural context. Beyond this common goal, the objectives of forage breeding programs are as varied as the species upon which they are based and the breeders who develop and implement them. Many breeding objectives are determined a priori by the choice of a species with one or more obvious trait limitations or deficiencies, such as poor seedling vigor, synthesis of toxic alkaloids, or severe susceptibility to a major pest. For species without such limitations, breeders have the luxury of defining less stringent and/or more flexible breeding objectives.
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Casler, M.D., van Santen, E. (2010). Breeding Objectives in Forages. In: Boller, B., Posselt, U.K., Veronesi, F. (eds) Fodder Crops and Amenity Grasses. Handbook of Plant Breeding, vol 5. Springer, New York, NY. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-0760-8_5
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