Genetics & Breeding
Breeding Records, Pedigrees & Seed-Lot Traceability
A breeding program is only as reconstructable as its records. Parent IDs, generation labels, pollination events, harvest lots, storage, phenotype data, and seed distribution should remain linked through stable identifiers.
Key concepts
- Names alone are not unique identifiers
- Generation labels must reflect the actual mating event
- Seed lots should connect to both parents and the pollination record
- Phenotype data is more useful when linked back to seed lot and family
What to measure or observe
- Assign stable plant and seed-lot IDs
- Record parent roles and pollination date
- Keep harvest and storage labels redundant
- Link phenotype scorecards to plant and family IDs
Common mistakes
- Renaming plants without preserving prior IDs
- Mixing seed from separate pollination events
- Using F/BX/S labels inconsistently
- Keeping phenotype notes that cannot be traced back to a seed lot
Visuals this lesson still needs
- Pedigree and lot-ID diagram
- Generation-label decision tree
- Pollination-to-seed-lot workflow
- Breeding database relationship map