Heterosis: Feeding People and Protecting Natural Resources

Chapter 3 Heterosis: Feeding People and Protecting Natural Resources D. N. Duvick, D. N. DuvickSearch for more papers by this author D. N. Duvick, D. N. DuvickSearch for more papers by this author Book Editor(s):James G. Coors, James G. CoorsSearch for more papers by this authorShivaji Pandey, Shivaji PandeySearch for more papers by this author First published: 01 January 1999 https://doi.org/10.2134/1999.geneticsandexploitation.c3Citations: 61Book Series:ASA, CSSA, and SSSA Books AboutPDFPDF ToolsRequest permissionExport citationAdd to favoritesTrack citation ShareShareShare a linkShare onEmailFacebookTwitterLinkedInRedditWechat Summary Hybrid vigor, or heterosis, usually refers to the increase in size or rate of growth of offspring over parents; for example, hybrid vigor in crop plants can be observed as in increase in yield of grain, or reduction in number of days to flower. Field crops such as maize, sorghum and sunflower are produced as hybrids in all of the industrialized world; they also are grown as hybrids in increasing amounts in the developing world. This chapter examines the historical record on use of hybrids to exploit heterosis in some of the major field crops, discusses the use of heterosis and hybrids, and attempts to predict how heterosis and hybrids may be used in the future. It shows how hybrids and heterosis can help to supply food for burgeoning populations and also help to improve environmental health of the global food production system. References Cardwell, V.B. 1982. Fifty years of Minnesota com production: Sources of yield increase. Agron. J. 74: 984–990. 10.2134/agronj1982.00021962007400060013x Web of Science®Google Scholar Castleberry,, R.M., C.W. Crum, and C.F. Krull. 1983. Genetic yield improvement of U.S. maize cultivars under varying fertility and climatic environments. 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