Definition
outbreedings
noun
- plural of outbreeding; the practice or process of breeding animals or plants from unrelated or distantly related parents to increase genetic diversity
Usage: technical/biological; usually used in genetics, agriculture, and animal husbandry contexts
Examples
- Farmers use outbreedings to strengthen the genetic health of their livestock.
- The conservation program relied on outbreedings to prevent genetic problems in the endangered species.
- Multiple outbreedings over several generations improved the crop's disease resistance.
- Breeders recommend outbreedings rather than inbreeding to maintain vigor in the population.
- The study examined the effects of outbreedings on hybrid vigor in corn varieties.