Avladning

Avladning is the process of breeding organisms, especially in agriculture, animal husbandry, horticulture, and aquaculture. The term comes from avl, meaning breeding or propagation, with a nominalizing suffix that marks a process. In this usage, avladning refers to planned mating and propagation designed to improve or stabilize desirable traits in a population, such as yield, growth rate, disease resistance, temperament, or fruit quality. It includes record-keeping, selection criteria, and the management of genetic diversity.

Practically, avladning involves evaluating individuals based on observable traits and, increasingly, genetic information, selecting suitable breeding stock, and implementing mating plans to achieve set goals while limiting inbreeding. Common techniques include line breeding, crossbreeding, backcrossing, and the development of synthetic varieties. In modern programs, genomic selection, marker-assisted selection, and data-driven mating schemes are used to increase efficiency and accuracy.

Applications cover crops, livestock and companion animals, and aquatic species. The concept emphasizes balancing performance with welfare and ecological sustainability, as well as economic considerations. Ethical debates focus on welfare, biodiversity, and the risks of reduced genetic variety from intensive selection.

In English-language contexts, the term avladning is typically described as breeding or a breeding program, with regional terms like avl or uppfödning used in Swedish, Norwegian, or Danish. See also breeding, avel, uppfödning, inbreeding, heterosis, genetic diversity.