Hybridization in Plants

What is the primary purpose of hybridization in plants?

Which of the following describes intergeneric hybridization?

What is the purpose of emasculation in the hybridization process?

How many steps are involved in the hybridization procedure?

Which step comes immediately after the selfing of parents in the hybridization process?

What quality must the selected parent plants have for successful hybridization?

In which type of hybridization do the parents belong to the same species?

What is taggin's role in the hybridization process?

What is the primary purpose of hand emasculation in flower buds?

What is the optimal time for performing emasculation using the suction method?

How does hot water treatment affect pollen grains compared to female reproductive organs?

What is the main characteristic of alcohol treatment in emasculation?

What advantage does cold treatment offer in the process of emasculation?

What is the purpose of bagging in plant emasculation?

Which of the following statements is true regarding genetic emasculation?

What is a critical precaution when bagging flowers?

Hybridization Definition

Hybridization is the mating or crossing of dissimilar genotypes.
In plants, hybridization involves transferring pollen from the male parent to the stigma of the female parent.
Self-pollination and cross-pollination must be prevented to ensure successful fertilization.

Objectives of Hybridization

Create genetic variation.
Transfer desired characteristics from one variety to another (Combination Breeding).
Improve yield through transgressive breeding.

Types of Hybridization

Intervarietal Hybridization: Crossing of parents that belong to the same species.
Distant Hybridization: Includes crosses between:
- Interspecific Hybridization: Crossing of two species within the same genus.
- Intergeneric Hybridization: Crossing of species from different genera.

Procedure of Hybridization

Selection of Parents: Choose healthy, vigorous, disease-free plants that are locally available.
Selfing of Parents: Self-fertilize selected parents for multiple generations to achieve 100% homozygosity.
Emasculation: Removing the male reproductive parts (stamens) from a bisexual flower to prevent self-pollination.
- Methods of Emasculation:
  - Hand Emasculation: Removing stamens with forceps and scissors.
  - Suction Method: Using a suction pump to remove anthers from small flowers.
  - Hot Water Treatment: Using hot water to kill pollen grains without damaging the female reproductive organs.
  - Alcohol Treatment: Immersing the flower in alcohol to kill pollen.
  - Cold Treatment: Using cold water to kill pollen.
  - Genetic Emasculation: Using cytoplasmic male sterility to eliminate the need for emasculation.
Bagging: Preventing contamination with other pollens by covering the flowers with bags.
- Precautions for Bagging:
  - The bag should be transparent.
  - The size of the bag should match the size of the flower.
Tagging: Labeling the flowers for identification purposes.
Pollination/Crossing: Transferring pollen from the male parent to the stigma of the female parent.
Harvesting and Storage of Seeds: Collecting and storing seeds for future propagation.

This quiz explores the concepts of hybridization in plants, including its definition, objectives, and various types. Understand the importance of creating genetic variation and improving yield through specific breeding techniques. Test your knowledge on the procedure of hybridizing plant species.