Procedure for Reciprocal recurrent selection

a) I year :

• Two source populations (A & B) are taken, several phenotypically superior plants are selected from each population.
• Each of the selected plant is selfed. Each of the selected plant from source A is crossed with random plants from B. Similar each of the selected plants are crossed with random plants of A. plants of a will act as tester for B.
• The selfed seed is harvested separately and saved for planting in III year.
• Top crossed seed from each plant is also harvested separately.

b) II year :

• Two replicated yield trials are conducted, progeny rows of Test cross seeds of population A in one plot and test cross seeds of population B in another plot are raised.
• Plants (I year) producing superior progenies (in II year) are identified.

c) III year :

• Selfed seed (saved in I year) from plants selected on the basis of evaluation of progeny rows (in the II year) is planted in plant to row progeny in two crossing plots.
• Seeds of selected plants from population A in one plot and that of the B in another plot.
• All possible intercrosses among the progeny rows in each plot are made.
• Equal number of seed from all intercrosses from the crossing plot A is mixed to raise the source population of ‘A’ next year.
• Similarly equal number of seed from inter crosses of plot B is mixed to raise source population B next year. This completes original selection cycle.

d) IV year :

• Source populations of A & B are raised from composited seeds of A & B ( III year).
• Operations of the first year i.e. selection of plants, selfing and crossing with the plants of other population etc. are done.

e) V year : operations as in second year are repeated.

f) VI year :

• Operations as in third year are repeated.
• This completes first selection cycle. The populations may be subjected to further selection cycles, if necessary, by repeating the procedure outlined above.