Desirable agronomic characteristics are:

i. Tallness and profuse branching are desirable characters for fodder crops.

ii. Dwarfness is desired in cereals so that fewer nutrients are consumed by these crops.

Varietal improvement means combining desirable characteristics in one and multiplying it. Farmers select plant varieties with the desired character and cross them. The developed offspring have the qualities of both the plants. These varieties are multiplied and then used for cultivation.

The conditions required for the acceptance of new varieties are:

i. Resistance to various biotic and abiotic stresses in different situations.

ii. Changes in maturity duration: In some of the short duration crops, early maturing varieties can make the crop fit into double and multiple cropping systems.