Advances in genetics and plant breeding 160 years after the publication of Mendel’s research
Magno Antonio Patto Ramalho, Flavia Maria Avelar Gonçalves, Vânia Helena Techio and Lucimara Cruz de Souza
Abstract: Mendel’s research marked the start of a young science: Genetics. Among its various branches, genetic plant breeding merges ancestral domestication practices with scientific advances. This article briefly reports the main contributions of scientists who have marked history with countless contributions over the last 160 years, shedding light on what a gene is and how it works. Thus, it is possible to understand how information is passed between cells of the same individual and from parents to their offspring, as well as how the variability of different traits of individuals occurs. The advances were unimaginable, but it was also found that the production of the phenotype is much more complex than one could imagine at first. As in the past, improving the plant selection process remains the main strategy to continue producing new cultivars to meet humanity’s needs regarding grains, fruits, fibers, and renewable energy.