Question

(a) Write the two limitations of traditional breeding technique that led to the promotion of micropropagation.
(b) Mention two advantages of micropropagation.
(c) Give two examples where it is commercially adopted.

Answer 1

a) The limitations of traditional plant breeding are as follows:

i) It is possible between two plants that can sexually mate with each other thus the addition of new traits is very limited.

ii) During breeding, there is a transference of undesirable traits, which affects the yield of the plant.

b) Advantages of micropropagation are as follows:

i) Production of a large number of plants from a single tissue in short time period. The process can be carried out throughout the year and is independent of seasonal conditions.

ii) It has made possible the production of disease-free plants such as virus-free plants of sweet potato and yam.

c) Micropropagation has been commercially adopted for:

i) Banana cultivation in India from the suckers of the plant using shoot tip for rapid multiplication.

ii) It has been widely used for the commercial production of ornamental plants like lily, orchids, blueberries etc.