Question

Discuss the role of hybridisation in crop improvement.

Answer 1

The crossing between genetically dissimilar plants to produce a new kind (hybrid) is called hybridisation. Crossing may be between two different varieties (intervarietal), between two different species (interspecific) and between different genera (intergeneric).

Cross-breeding of two varieties of plants is carried out to obtain an improved variety of plants which will combine in it both the desired characteristics of parent crop plants. For example, the new improved variety of crop plants, thus obtained will give a high yield of food grains and it will be disease resistant too. This process of cross-breeding of different plants to obtain a new improved variety of crops is called hybridisation.

Selection and hybridisation are often combined inbreeding. In India, crops are grown in diverse types of soil and different climatic conditions by poor to progressive farmers. Keeping in mind climatic factors, input application, disease and pest resistance, quality and adaptability etc. a large number of varieties have been developed by hybridisation. Such varieties are high-yielding, resistant to diseases and pests, have better quality and early to late maturing time.