Question

What is hybridization? Describe the process and importance of artificial hybridization in brief.

Hint:

Artificial hybridization is the most common technique in plant breeding to combine useful traits of two parent plants into one improved hybrid variety.

Answer 1

Definition: Hybridization is the process of crossing two genetically different individuals to obtain a hybrid with desirable traits. In plants, this is done to combine the best features of two varieties into a single offspring. Process of Artificial Hybridization: \begin{enumerate} \item Emasculation: Removal of anthers from the flower bud of a bisexual flower before the anthers mature. This prevents self-pollination. \item Bagging: The emasculated flower is covered with a bag (usually butter paper or polythene) to prevent contamination from unwanted pollen. \item Pollination: When the stigma matures, pollen grains from the desired male parent are dusted onto the stigma of the emasculated flower. \item Re-bagging: After pollination, the flower is again covered to avoid entry of any foreign pollen grains. \end{enumerate} Importance of Artificial Hybridization: \[\begin{array}{rl} \bullet & \text{Helps in producing hybrids with desirable traits such as disease resistance, high yield, better flavor, or drought tolerance.} \\ \bullet & \text{Widely used in plant breeding programs to improve crop quality.} \\ \bullet & \text{Helps in developing new varieties that combine the strengths of both parent plants.} \\ \end{array}\] Example: Hybrid varieties of wheat, rice, maize, and many fruits are products of artificial hybridization.