The course aims to give the basic principles of plant breeding, of cultivar selection and of seed production. To this aim, theoretical and practical aspects of reproductive biology of higher plants are addressed including those modifications of the reproductive system that are of practical interest. Additional teaching objectives are the collection, storage and evaluation of genetic resources, the development of plant breeding schemes, the characterization, reproduction, conservative selection of plant varieties, the adoption of advanced strategies for the control of reproductive biology and the co-existence of conventional and genetically modified crops.