Question

Which of the following options describes the correct steps in artificial hybridisation?

• A. Bagging, emasculation, pollination, rebagging
• B. Emasculation, bagging, pollination, rebagging
• C. Emasculation, bagging, pollination
• D. Emasculation, pollination, bagging

Answer 1

The correct option is B Emasculation, bagging, pollination, rebagging

Artificial hybridisation is a technique employed to develop superior varieties of plants.

The plants with desirable characteristics are selected as parents and crossed so as to obtain the progeny with superior traits over the parents.

The first step in artificial hybridisation is emasculation. Removal of anthers from a bisexual flower before the dehiscence of anther is called emasculation. Emasculation is done if the plant chosen as female parent produces bisexual flowers. In the process, care is taken to not damage the stigma as it has to receive the desired pollen grains. Emasculation prevents self-pollination.

After emasculation, to prevent contamination of the stigma with unwanted pollen, it is covered with a paper bag usually made up of butter paper. This process is called bagging.

The flowers are left as such until the stigma becomes receptive. Thereafter, mature and viable pollen grains are collected from the other parent plant and brushed onto the receptive stigma with the help of a brush.

The flowers are then rebagged to avoid any contamination and allowed to develop fruits.

Hence the correct steps in artificial hybridisation include emasculation, bagging, pollination, rebagging.