Question

(a) Plan an experiment and prepare a flow chart of the steps that you would follow to ensure that the seeds are formed only from the desired sets of pollen grains. Name the type of experiment that you carried out.

(b) Write the importance of such experiments

Answer 1

(a) Artificial hybridisation is a technique which ensures that the seeds are formed only from the desired set of pollen grains. It includes emasculation and bagging. Removal of stamens or anthers or killing of pollen grains of a bisexual flower withoutaffecting the female reproductive organs is called emasculation. The emasculatedflower is immediately enclosed in a plastic or butter paper bag to avoid pollinationby unwanted pollen. This process is called bagging.
Experiment and flow chart of artificial hybridisation:

Remove the anthers of a bisexual flower using a pair of forceps.

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Immediatelycover the emasculated flower with a plastic or butter paper bag.

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Collect themature and viable pollen grains fromthe anthers of themale parent.

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Dust the pollen grains on the stigma of the female plant.

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Replace the bag immediately and allow the fruits to develop.

(b) Importance of artificial hybridisation:
(i) It helps plant breeders to cross a particular plant with desired pollen grains.
(ii) This technique helps in the production of hybrids without contamination by unwanted pollen grains.