Hybridization is used by plant breeders to make disease
and insect resistant hybrids and cultivars. The purpose
of hybridization is to combine the genes of higher yield
and disease and insect resistance from different sources.
Brahim and Barrett (1991) developed a hybrid of barley
by composite crosses between various inbred lines of
sorghum that was resistant to powdery mildew. Various
disease resistant hybrids and cultivars of crop plants have
been developed by plant breeders through conventional
hybridization and subsequent selection. Lasani-2008 is one
of the best examples of cultivar development for disease
resistance; it is resistant to Ug-99 stem rust pathotype.