1. Eras of Plant Improvement
Domestication
The Green Revolution
Genetic Modification

2. Continuous Improvements in Agriculture
The distant past (thousands of years ago)
Crop plant domestication
The recent past (past 100 years)
Hybrid seeds/intentional breeding 
The "Green Revolution"
Now and into the future (past 25 years)
Advances in breeding
Genetic modification technologies 

3. Phase 1: Domestication
More than 10,000 years ago until approximately 1900
Humans transitioned from hunter-gatherer lifestyle with improvements in agriculture 
Development of human civilizations is correlated with the development of agriculture
Major crops were domesticated approximately 5,000 – 15,000 years ago
Domestication: cultivating or taming organisms to accentuate traits that are considered desirable for humans
Physical appearance
Behavioral characteristic 
Individual size 
Selecting for physical traits modified the genetic makeup of the plant

4. Phase 2: The Green Revolution
1960s s
Important advancements:
High-yielding grain varieties (rice, wheat)
"semi-dwarf" varieties: shorter plants that waste less energy on growing stems for height 
Disease-resistance 
Dramatically increased crop yields for the same acreage of land 
Able to grow more food without using more land 

5. Phase 3: Genetic Modification
1980s – present 
Advances in science and genetic understanding have led to technologies that allow scientists to directly modify the genetic make up of species to exhibit a trait of interest
Can use genes from that species or another
First crops released in 1995
Herbicide and insect resistant – reduces pesticide needs, increases yield 
Rapidly adopted by farmers – increased farmer profits 
Primary crops: cotton, soybean, corn, canola, cotton, alfalfa, papaya 
Lots of possibilities for potential improvements (GMOs)