CHAPTER IX 

 GRAIN BREEDING 



GRAIN improvement may be brought about through 

 selection and crossing. These methods are applied to the 

 improvement of wheat, oats, barley, rye, buckwheat, and 

 other grains ; also to peas, beans, and forage plants. 



Selection Method. Foundation stock from the best- 

 known varieties of grain grown is first secured. These 

 varieties are sown in one-twentieth acre plots and the 

 plants are studied during the growing period. The best 

 heads from 100 or more plants are selected when mature, 

 the kernels graded, and the heavy plump ones retained. 

 These select kernels are sown the following year and 

 the grains are again graded as before. By pursuing this 

 method of selecting, the best grains for seed, oats, wheat, 

 barley, and other small grains are greatly improved in 

 quality and yield per acre. 



Centgener Method. A better method of breeding 

 known as the centgener method is now used quite exten- 

 sively by plant breeders. By this system a thousand 

 kernels of the grain desired for foundation stock are used, 

 and the individual kernels are planted 4 inches apart 

 in the foundation or " mother " bed. Border rows are 

 grown around the outside of the bed which are later dis- 

 carded. Only the plants growing under uniform conditions 

 inside of the border rows are retained. These plants are 



