The Idaho Republican. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1904-1932, 1907-11-29
SCIENTIFIC
PLANT BREEDING


iplant-breeding are SO often mentioned
that they have become automatic.
Among these are the incompatibility
of earliness and prolificacy, of large
size and number of parts, and the
correlation of other qualities.
There is opportunity for further OBJ
servation on these points, and If this
limitation is found to prevail, the
physiological phenomena which deter
mime this antagonism remains to be
worked out. Moreover, the recent
work of Bateson has cast doubt on
the limitations of selection as means
Of fixing type, which Is worthy OF
further Investigation.
The study of mutations, as de-
scribed by De Vries. seems fruitful
field for investigation. The old taxo-
nomic idea of the fixity of species
appears to be doomed to give way to
o different concept. MacDougal has
recently shown that plants can be so
profoundly affected by chemicals as to
lose their character sufficiently to re-
suit in the production of new forms.
II this should be true, it may result
In new method of plant-breeding,
and at all events 1t calls attention to
the possible influence of certain en-
vironmental conditions. Fertilizers
and soil conditions are known to have
an effect on the composition of the
plant as we'll as on the quality.
The turnip has been found to be
quite frequently influenced in COM
position in proportion to the deficien-
cy of the soil in phosphoric acid, and
in the case of cereals an attempt has
been made to work out method for
ascertaining the fertilizer require
ments Of the soil on the basis of the
composition of the crop grown.
The necessity of taking these mat
tiers into account when plants are be-
ing bred for increased protein, and of.
fully checking or controlling all condi-
tons other ethan individuality which
may cause changes will be apparent.
In the case of leguminous plants bred
for increased protein content the pos.
sible effect of nitrogen assimilation as
disturbing factor should be borne
in mind.
It has been shown that nitrogen as
similation may have the effect of in
cJeasing the nitrogen content of the
plant or it's seed, and it has also been
found that plants apparently vary con-
siderably in the energy with which
they assimilate atmospheric nitrogen.
The conditions surrounding this &C.
tivity and the factors which influence
1t are little understood, but these diff
ferences in conditions or capacity of
the plant may nullify the results of
breeding work which does not take &C.
count of them The obvious remedy
would seem to be the treatment of the
soil in which these experiments are
made in such way as to eliminate nj
trogen assimilation and it's attendant
influences.
There is every reason why the
breeding work as a whole should be
placed upon more scientific basis.
It has become a prominent feature of
the work of the stations, and the pracy
teal results attained have aroused in
terest and confidence in it.
Already attention is being given by
the more progressive farmers to Sc
lection, the use of improved seed, and
the work of the stations and others
are therefore finding practical appli-
cation in their hands. The greatest |
need of this work is improved meth.
ods and better understanding Of the |
principles involved, in order that OBJ
may be guided, and the in
expectation of results made more
sure. s.r, al.