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Selective Breeding

Definition

Selective breeding (or artificial selection) is when humans breed plants and animals for particular genetic traits.

Analogy

Imagine you're creating your dream team in a video game. You'd pick characters with specific skills or attributes that you want on your team. That's what farmers do with selective breeding; they choose which animals or plants with desirable traits get to reproduce.

Related terms

Genetic Modification: This involves directly manipulating an organism's genes using biotechnology. It’s like editing code in software programming - you can add new features or remove bugs!

Hybridization: The process of combining different varieties of organisms to create a hybrid. Like mixing two colors of paint together to create a new shade.

Inbreeding: Mating between close relatives, often used in selective breeding to maintain desirable traits. It's like keeping a secret recipe within the family.