Why is selective breeding used

The difference between the two is that natural selection happens naturally, but selective breeding only occurs when humans intervene. For this reason selective breeding is sometimes called artificial selection. Different varieties of plants and animals with desired characteristics can be developed by selective breeding. For example:. The new varieties may be economically important. For example, they may provide more or better quality food to feed people. Example of selective breeding. This is one reason why maintaining genetic diversity in nature is important: traits found in wild relatives can be bred into crop plants to help them respond to changing climatic conditions.

However, even if the gene for a desired trait is present in a population, and can be easily inherited, selective breeding is still a slow process because it requires selection over many generations. It may also be difficult to separate target genes from less desirable ones. In other words, if an organism inherits the desired gene, it is very likely to inherit the less desirable one too.

Farmers have been tampering with the DNA of crops and livestock to improve their characteristics for thousands of years. Modern genetic techniques have made this process of selective breeding faster and more precise. However, even with these advances, selective breeding is still a slow process that takes place over many generations.

But what if we could change the DNA of crops and livestock without having to rely on generations of selective breeding?

Next chapter! Learn About Community. Disease resistance. Animals that gain weight fast. Crops that easily shatter and disperse their seeds. But this idea was not accepted by scientists until more evidence came along. Use this infographic to explore how Darwinism and genetics came together to explain what we know today about evolution.

Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students. Skip to content. Image pigeons Like many animals kept in human captivity, mating pairs of pigeons are often paired together based on their genetics to achieve the most desirable traits in their offspring. Photograph by Mark Thiessen. Twitter Facebook Pinterest Google Classroom. Encyclopedic Entry Vocabulary. Media Credits The audio, illustrations, photos, and videos are credited beneath the media asset, except for promotional images, which generally link to another page that contains the media credit.

Media If a media asset is downloadable, a download button appears in the corner of the media viewer. Text Text on this page is printable and can be used according to our Terms of Service. Interactives Any interactives on this page can only be played while you are visiting our website. Related Resources. View Collection. Natural Selection. View Article. The Legacy of an Idea. View Infographic.

Theory of Evolution. Educational Resources in Your Inbox. Educational Resources in Your Inbox Join our community of educators and receive the latest information on National Geographic's resources for you and your students.