The scientific understanding of inheritance in the early 20th century laid the foundation for systematic crop improvement programmes. At the Punjab Agricultural College and Research Institute, Lyallpur, cotton breeding was initiated in 1912 by Dobbs, while varietal testing of sugarcane began in 1911 at Gurdaspur and was further strengthened at Risalewala near Lyallpur in 1934. In 1925, Chaudhary Ramdhan Singh was appointed as Cerealist to focus on breeding of cereals, which led to the initiation of rice research at Kala Shah Kaku (Pakistan). In 1927, Mr. B.S. Sawhney took charge as Millet Botanist at Lyallpur, starting systematic work on bajra, gram, and tobacco. Research on brassicas, linseed, and sesamum followed with the establishment of oilseed programmes, while groundnut research began in 1933 at Ludhiana. With the establishment of Punjab Agricultural University in 1962 at Ludhiana, the Department of Plant Breeding came into being, with Dr. D.S. Athwal as the first Professor and Head. Since then, the Department has grown remarkably and now comprises eight crop-based sections with 78 highly qualified scientists. Its mandate is to develop high-yielding, stress-tolerant, and disease- and pest-resistant varieties and hybrids with desirable quality traits; to maintain and enhance germplasm resources; to conduct basic studies on inheritance of important traits; and to evolve matching production and protection technologies. The Department is equally committed to excellence in teaching and faculty development, nurturing entrepreneurship skills among students through experiential learning in hybrid seed production, and extending knowledge to farmers through adaptive trials, frontline demonstrations, training programmes, Kisan Melas, and mass media.

Over the decades, the Department has established itself as a premier centre of crop improvement, combining strong research, effective teaching, and farmer-oriented extension to address the challenges of food security, crop diversification, and sustainability in Punjab and beyond.