Editing Backcrossing (section)

{{Short description|Crossing of a hybrid with one of its parents or a genetically similar individual}}
{{Distinguish|Breeding back}}
'''Backcrossing''' is a crossing of a [[Hybrid (biology)|hybrid]] with one of its [[parent]]s or an individual genetically similar to its parent, to achieve offspring with a genetic identity closer to that of the parent. It is used in horticulture, animal breeding, and  production of [[gene knockout]] organisms.<!-- explain how this is the same or different from inbreeding -->

Backcrossed hybrids are sometimes described with [[acronym]] "BC"; for example, an [[F1 hybrid]] crossed with one of its parents (or a genetically similar individual) can be termed a BC1 hybrid, and a further cross of the BC1 hybrid to the same parent (or a genetically similar individual) produces a BC2 hybrid.<ref>{{cite journal|author1=Schweitzer, J.A. |author2=Martinsen, G.D. |author3=Whitham, T.G. |year=2002|title=Cottonwood hybrids gain fitness traits of both parents: a mechanism for their long-term persistence?|journal=American Journal of Botany|volume=89|issue=6|pages=981–990|doi=10.3732/ajb.89.6.981|pmid=21665697 |doi-access=free}}</ref>