Question

Mutations in plant cells can be induced by :

• A. Kinetin
• B. Infrared rays
• C. Gamma rays
• D. Zeatin

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

To answer the question about which factor induces mutations in plant cells among the given options, we need to understand the effects of each option:

1. Kinetin: It is a type of cytokinin, which is a class of plant hormones involved in regulating cell division and growth, but not known for inducing mutations.
2. Infrared rays: These are part of the electromagnetic spectrum with longer wavelengths. They are not involved in causing mutations since they primarily produce heat and do not have high energy to alter DNA structures.
3. Gamma rays: These are high-energy electromagnetic waves capable of penetrating materials and have the ability to cause damage to biological tissues, including altering DNA sequence leading to mutations. Therefore, gamma rays are often used in genetics and agriculture to induce mutations in plants for increased variation.
4. Zeatin: Similar to kinetin, zeatin is a naturally occurring cytokinin involved in promoting cell division, growth, and development in plants, not in inducing mutations.

Given the explanations above, it's clear that Gamma rays are used to induce mutations in plant cells due to their high energy, capable of altering DNA. Therefore, the correct answer is Gamma rays.