IGCSE Biology glossary
Selective breeding
Biology editorial review is supported by the named review panel. Reviewer participation may vary by guide. Checked against Cambridge IGCSE Biology 0610 (2026–2028); last reviewed August 2026.
Definition
The process by which humans choose organisms with desirable characteristics and breed them together over many generations to enhance those traits. Also called artificial selection. Examples include breeding cows for high milk yield or wheat for disease resistance.
What to include in an exam answer
Describe the process in steps: choose parents with desired trait, breed them, select the best offspring, repeat over many generations. Always note that this reduces genetic variation in the population.
Example in context
Describe how selective breeding could be used to produce cows with a higher milk yield (4 marks): Select cows with the highest milk yield and bulls from high-yielding mothers. Breed these together. From the offspring, select females with the highest milk yield. Repeat this process over many generations until the desired milk yield is achieved.
Related syllabus topic
Variation & selection