The correct option is C Both assertion and reason are correct and the reason correctly explains assertion
Plant breeding is the purposeful manipulation of plant species so as to create new improved varieties that are better suited for cultivation, give better yield and are resistant to pests and pathogens.
One of the initial steps in the plant breeding programme is germplasm collection.
Germplasm refers to the seeds, plants, or plant parts having all possible alleles for all the genes in a given crop. Collection of the diverse germplasm ensures that plant breeders have the whole range of possible genetic variabilities of a crop plant. Genetic variability is the root of the plant breeding programme as it enables the plant breeder to choose the right combination of superior characteristics that they would like to develop in an improved crop.
In the next step of plant breeding, the whole available germplasm is screened for desirable traits that are to be incorporated into the new variety. The plants with desirable combinations of characters are identified and selected as parents. These are then artificially cross-pollinated to obtain hybrid progeny. The progeny which will exhibit superior characteristics of both the parents will be selected and propagated to produce an improved crop variety.
Thus, both assertion and reason are correct and the reason correctly explains the assertion.