Teaching the Concept of Germplasm Resources: A Football Analogy.

The concept of genetic resources and their role in plant breeding can be difficult for students to understand. Current and obsolete cultivars, elite lines, germplasm releases, landrace varieties, weedy species, wild species, and plant introductions all play an important role in biodiversity and as sources of new genes in crop improvement. An approach has been developed at Auburn University to teach the concept of genetic resources and their value in AGRN 5100/6100 (Plant Genetics and Crop Improvement) using an analogy most students can understand: Football. Students are asked to build a professional-level football team by recruiting players with certain abilities, and are given several different types of teams from which to choose their players, ranging from top NCAA Division I teams down to Division III and some high schools. Each team “level” brings something to the table, but the caveat is that the rules of the game can change unexpectedly and without warning, from one year to the next. For example, only female place kickers may be allowed in the future. This is analogous to the unexpected situations plant breeders face, such as a new disease or quality trait that must be considered. Students then see the value of looking at smaller schools for a female linebacker, for example, if the rules call for one. And they learn that choosing players from teams with less ability can have consequences – it takes longer to get them ready to play at the level at which they need to be able to play.