Backcross Breeding

by

Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo

What is Backcrossing?

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 Is a crossing of a hybrid with one of its parents or an individual genetically similar to its
parent, in order to achieve offspring with a genetic identity which is closer to that of the parent. It
is used in horticulture, animal breeding and in production of gene knockout organisms.
Involves making an initial cross between the donor (source of desirable trait) and
recurrent parent (parent you are transferring the trait to).

Backcross and Backcross Breeding

Backcross refers to crossing of F1 with either of its parents. When the F1 is crossed with
homozygous recessive parent, it is known as test cross.
A system of breeding in which repeated backcross are made to transfer specific character
to a well-adapted variety for which the variety is deficient.
Enables the breeders to transfer a desired trait such as a transgene from one variety
(donor parent) into the favored genetic background of another (recurrent parent).
This approach can be employed to introduce a specific trait, such as disease resistance,
from one line, often an unimproved line, to another that is typically an elite breeding line.
Is commonly used in self and cross pollinated species. In vegetatively propagated crops
like sugarcane and potato this method is rarely used and that too with some modifications.

Main Features
1. Application
The backcross method is generally used to improve specific character of a well-
adapted variety for which it is deficient such as resistance to a specific disease. This
method is more commonly used for transfer of monogenic or oligogenic characters than
polygenic characters.  
In other words, it is more successful when the character has high heritability. Oligogenic
characters have high heritability than polygenic traits. Backcross method is applicable in
all three groups of crop plants, viz. self-pollinated, cross pollinated and asexually
propagated.
2. Parental Material
Backcross method involves two types of parents, viz. recipient parent and donor
parent. The parent which receives a desirable character is known as recipient parent. The

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 recipient parent is repeatedly used in the backcross method; hence it is also called as
recurrent parent.
The recipient parent is generally a well-adapted high yielding variety of an area
which is deficient in one or few characters. The parent which donates the desirable
character is known as donor parent. Since donor parent is used only once in the crossing,
it is also known as non-recurrent parent. The donor parent is generally poor in agronomic
characters. Thus backcross method is used when one of the parents is un-adapted type.
3. Genetic constitution
Backcross method retains the genotype of original variety except for the character
which is improved by backcrossing. In other words, the new variety resembles the parent
variety in all the characters except for the character under transfer.

4. Number of Backcross
Generally 5 to 6 backcross are sufficient to retain the genotype of original variety
with new character.

Requirements for Backcross Programe

1. A suitable recurrent parent that lacks one or two characters/traits.

2. A suitable donor parent that has an intense form of character/trait which is deficient in
recurrent parents.
3. The character/trait to be transferred must have high heritability and governed by one or
few genes.
4. Sufficient numbers of backcrosses.

Genetic Basis of Backcross Method

Backcross increases the frequency of desirable individuals in a population. For example,
from a cross involving single locus (AA x aa), we will get only 1/4 desirable individuals (AA) in
F2 through selfing (1AA: 2Aa: 1 aa). In case of backcrossing (AA x Aa), we get 1/2 desirable
individuals in the BC F1 (1 AA: 1 Aa).

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 The same is expected for each gene pair. The population gradually becomes identical to
the recurrent parent. The population is not divided into 2n homozygous genotypes as happens in
case of selfing.
However, in backcrossing
homozygosity is attained at the
same rate as with selfing which
is given below:
Proportion of
homozygous individuals = [(2m –
1)/2m]n where,
m = number of backcrossing
or selfing and
n = number of gene pairs.
Moreover, the chances of
breaking linkage between
desirable and undesirable genes
are more with backcrossing than
with selfing. Suppose, gene A is
desirable and it is linked with
undesirable gene b. The
desirable gene A has to be
transferred from a donor to a well-adapted variety.
The cross between adapted and donor parents will produce AaBb hybrid. The genes A and ‘a’
have the tendency to, inherit together to make it difficult to obtain AB combination. Since gene
B is reintroduced with each backcross, there will be several chances for the crossover to take
place.
Thus the probability of elimination of b gene is as given below:
Probability of eliminating of b gene = 1 – (1 – p)m+1 where,
p = recombination fraction and
m = number of backcrosses.

Breeding Method Procedure of Backcross Method

Some characters are governed by dominant gene and others by recessive gene. The
breeding procedure of backcross method depends on whether the character under transfer is
controlled by dominant or recessive gene.

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
The breeding procedure for both the situations is briefly presented below:
1. Transfer of Dominant Gene:
Suppose wilt resistance in cotton is controlled by a dominant gene (RR). The
donor parent is a strain (B) from the germplasm. The resistance has to be transferred to an
adapted variety (A) which is susceptible to wilt. The adapted variety (A) will be used as
recurrent parent and strain (B) as donor parent.
The F1 will be wilt resistant but heterozygous (Rr). Backcrossing of F1 (Rr) with
susceptible variety (rr) will produce resistant and susceptible plants in equal number
in BC1  F1 (1Rr: 1rr). The resistant cotton plant  (Rr) can be identified by growing the
material in wilt sick plot. The resistant plants (Rr) are then backcrossed to the adapted
variety.
Generally, 6-8 backcrosses are sufficient to obtain plants identical to adapted
variety except for the added genes for wilt resistance. The wilt resistant plants are
heterozygous  (Rr). They are selfed for one generation to obtain homozygous (RR)
resistant plants. All the resistant true breeding plants are bulked and new variety is
released. The variety developed in this way is identical to the adapted variety (A) expect
for wilt resistance (Table 20.1).

2. Transfer of Recessive Gene:

Suppose wilt resistance in cotton is governed by a recessive gene (rr). In such
case, the progeny of each backcross will segregate into two genotypes (RR and Rr) which
cannot be identified. Therefore, it is necessary to self the population after each backcross
to obtain resistant homozygous recessive plants (rr).
A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 The resistant plants are identified by growing the F2 material in wilt sick plot. The
resistant plants are backcrossed with adapted variety. Here each backcross is followed by
one selfing, whereas with dominant gene continuous backcrosses are made.
3. Transfer of Quantitative Traits:
Backcross method is generally used for transfer of monogenic or oilgogenic
characters. It can also be used for transfer of polygenic traits. However, transfer of
polygenic characters is somewhat difficult due to low heritability of such characters and
more influence of environment in the expression of polygenic characters. For successful
transfer of polygenic character, the non-recurrent parent with extreme phenotype for the
polygenic character under transfer should be chosen.
For example, if we want to improve protein percentage from 20 to 25%, we
should select non-recurrent parent with 30% protein. This will make identification of the
character easy. Moreover, after each backcross one or two generations of selfing are
required, to get the desirable segregants. Furthermore, large populations have to be raised
to achieve the desired combination. In other words, the observations should be based on
large samples.
Sometimes, several characters have to be transferred into an adapted cultivar
through backcrossing.
This can be achieved in two ways:
i. Transfer of genes in separate backcross programme and then combining them into single
genotype, and
ii. Simultaneous transfer of genes into single genotype in one backcross programme.
For simultaneous transfer of multiple characters, backcross seeds have to be
produced in more quantity to be sure to get a genotype with all desirable genes.

Achievements of Backcross Method

Backcross method has been widely used for the development of disease resistant varieties
in both self and cross pollinated species. It has also been used for interspecific gene transfer and
development of multiline varieties in self-pollinated species. Several varieties resistant to various
diseases have been developed, by this method in wheat, cotton and several other crops.

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 In cotton varieties V797, Digvijay, Vijalpa and Kalyan which belong to Gossypium
herbaceum have been developed by backcross method. A brief comparison of pedigree, bulk and
backcross breeding methods is presented in Table 20.2.

Merits
1. Back cross method retains all desirable character of a popular adapted varieties and
replaces undesirable allele at particular locus.
2. This method is extensively used in the development of varieties with multiple disease
resistance. Multiline varieties carrying resistant genes for different races of pathogen are
also developed by backcross method. This is used for development of isogenic lines and
multiline variety, a mixture of several isogenic lines.
A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus
 3. Much smaller population is needed in this method.
4. This is the only method for the inter specific gene transfer and transfer of cytoplasm.
5. Male sterility and fertility restoring genes can be transferred to various agronomic bases
by this method.
6. The variety developed by this method does not require multi-locational testing, because it
is identical to parent variety except for the character under transfer.
7. This is useful method for the transfer of oligogenic character like diseases resistance and
in the incorporation of genes for quality such as protein content.

Demerits
1. This method is used to rectify the defect of an adapted variety. The new variety differs
from the old one only in respect of defect which has been rectified.
2. New variety cannot be superior to recurrent parent except for the character transferred.
3. It involves lot of crossing work. The backcrosses have to be made for 6-8 generations. In
pedigree and bulk methods hybridization is done only once.
4. Hybridization has to be done in each backcross.
5. Sometimes undesirable gene linked with the desirable gene also may be transferred.

A report presented by Charmaine Joy N. Ubaldo in AG BIO 34 class under Prof. Aurea L. Feliciano
Bachelor Of Science In Agriculture Major in Soil Science Isabela State Univesity Echague Main Campus