Im doing some research regarding breeding plants indoors vs outdoors. There is a lof of useful information on the topic. Here is a quick overview of the point that interests me.
"Plants bred indoors for multiple generations (F3 or further) may exhibit reduced fitness in challenging environments due to lack of selection pressure. Without exposure to pests, diseases, and environmental stresses, natural selection doesn't favor individuals with robust defense mechanisms."
There is also research indicating that seeds developed outdoors after indoor pollination may exhibit enhanced adaptability. Seeds matured outdoors may produce offspring that is better at adapting to environmental stressors.
This is why my instincts keep pushing me to test everything in diverse environments. Certain flaws or vulnerabilities remain hidden if a strain is bred and grown only indoors. The Brandywine is a great example of this. It clearly has poor resistance to powder mildew because it was probably never exposed to it during the selection process. To know if a plant has a strong resistance to pests, etc. all of the plants that I am selecting from should be exposed to these stressors in order to find the plants that have the best resistance.
Selecting plants to breed only for looks, aroma, and potency has major flaws in this respect.
Im going to refresh and a read a few of these books that were recommended.
*Classics in Plant Breeding*
- __Breeding for Quantitative Traits in Plants__ by Bernardo (2020) - A comprehensive guide to understanding plant breeding concepts and methods ¹.
- __Principles of Cultivar Development__ by Walter Fehr (1993) - Covers traditional breeding methods and strategies for developing cultivars ¹.
- __Principles of Plant Breeding__ by Robert W. Allard (1999) - Provides foundational knowledge on plant breeding [4).
*Modern Plant Breeding Books*
- __Principles of Plant Genetics and Breeding__ by George Acquaah (2020) - Combines classical and molecular tools for modern plant breeding ³ ⁴ ¹.
- __Linear Selection Indices in Modern Plant Breeding__ by JJC Rojas and José Crossa (201
- Explores advanced breeding techniques ¹.
- __Seed Science and Technology__ by Malavika Dadlani and DK Yadava (2023) - Covers the latest in seed science and technology [4).