Selective breeding is a process in which specific traits or characteristics are intentionally bred into plants, animals and other organisms to improve their overall quality. This involves choosing individuals with desirable traits and mating them together to produce offspring that inherit those traits. The goal of selective breeding is to create a population with improved genetic makeup, resulting in better growth, higher yields or increased resistance to diseases. It has been used for centuries by farmers to improve their crops and livestock, but today it also plays an important role in the development of new plant varieties and animal breeds that are more productive, resilient and better adapted to different environments.