5.10 - Breeding plants

- The number of rice grains is under the control of the genes 

- The farmer wants to increase the number of rice grains per plant to then increase the yield

- The farmer notices that some plants have 6 grains per stem, others have 8 grains per stem and others have 10 grains per stem 

- The farmers decision is to harvest the grains with 6 or 8 but use the 10 grains for planting 

- In the next generation of rice he notices that the grains are increased to 8 grains per stem, 10 grains per stem and 12 grains per stem and so he harvest the 8 and 10 grains and selects the 12 grains for planting and breeding 

- In this way, the number of grains of rice found on the plant will gradually increase which will increase the yield 

- This is an example of selective breeding