Would it be wrong to call plants obtained through micro-propagation as 'clones'? Comment.
No, it is not wrong to call plants obtained through micro-propagation as clones because each of these plants will be genetically identical to each other and the parent plant.
How is a somatic hybrid different from a hybrid?
Somatic hybrids are obtained by uniting protoplasts from two different varieties of plants and then further cultured to form a novel plant. Compatibility between two plants is not a limitation. Any two protoplasts can be united.
Whereas, hybrids are obtained by crossing two selected parent plants of opposite sex. Many times compatibility is a limitation for breeding.
What is emasculation? Why and when is it done?
Removal of stamens from the bisexual flower that is used as a female parent in plant hybridisation is called emasculation. This is done to avoid unwanted self-pollination. This has to be done at bud condition before the anthers dehisce.
Discuss the two main limitations of plant hybridisation programme.
The limitations of plant hybridisation programme include
(i) Availability of a limited number of identified disease resistant genes that are present in various crop varieties or wild relatives.
(ii) Compatibility of parents.
(iii) Time consuming and tedious process.
Interspecific crosses are rare in nature and intergeneric crosses almost unknown. Why?
In interspecific crosses, male and female animals of two different related species are mated. In some cases, the progeny may combine desirable features of both the parents, and may be of considerable economic value, e.g., the mule.
An interspecific hybrid's fertility varies. Many of Panthera (ligers, tigons leopons etc.) hybrid males are infertile, while the female counterparts can breed with the species she contains (female ligers can breed with a lion or a tiger to produce li-ligers or ti-tigers). These are rare in nature.
Intergeneric hybridisation is the crossing of two different animals/plants of different genus. It is almost unknown in nature. Intergeneric hybrids more or less never form complete zygotes/embryos. These are sterile/infertile.