Artificial Hybridization Plants: Procedures, Steps and FAQ

Artificial hybridization is the cross-pollination of two different varieties of plants to create plants that possess the desired features. It is one of the basic concepts for plant reproduction included in the class 12 chapter on sexual reproduction in flowering plants of Biology. This process is of great importance in increasing agricultural productivity and in developing more resistant and productive varieties of plants. Understanding of Artificial hybridisation process is important for students preparing for competitive exams like NEET since it serves as a foundation for many topics in plant biology and genetics.

What is Artificial Hybridisation?

Artificial Hybridisation can be defined as crossing plants intentionally for the creation of hybrids with specific desired traits. This technique has been used by plant breeders to enhance attributes like yield, disease resistance, and adaptability to the environment. In artificial hybridisation, the male and female plants that are desirable are selected, and the pollen is utilised for fertilizing the ovules of another plant. This technique enables desirable traits from the parent plants to be hybridized into a new plant species that might prove to be more vigorous than either of its parents.

Read More:

• Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
• Angiosperm
• Pollination
• Morphology of Flowering Plants

Importance of Artificial Hybridisation in Plants

Artificial hybridisation revolutionised agriculture and horticulture as it brought fresh plant species that exhibit increased production and resistance. Some of the advantages include:

High productivity: Hybrids tend to be more productive than their parental lines. This is meant to achieve high productivity that increases food.

Resistance to diseases: Most hybrids are bred with resistance to particular pests and diseases. This thus reduces the use of chemicals and makes farming sustainable.

Environmental adaptability: It would now be easy to produce varieties for different climates and soils by choosing such plants that excel in certain conditions.

The Process of Artificial Hybridisation

The steps of artificial hybridization include the choice of parent plants, emasculation, and pollination. Emasculation refers to the removal of the male anthers from the flower of the female parent to prevent self-pollination. However, the process may be totally omitted for cases where the plant species lacks clear male and female reproductive organs. After emasculation, the pollen from the male parent chosen is inserted into the stigma of the female parent. This is to ensure that only the desired traits will be expressed in the resulting hybrid.

Techniques Used in Artificial Hybridisation

Artificial hybridization applies various techniques in its execution. Some of these are as follows;

Controlled Pollination: It involves the covering of flowers with bags that prevent unwanted pollen from contaminating the process of cross-pollination.

Hormones: Hormones can be applied to cause the formation of the ovule and increase the chances of fertilization.

Tissue culture: Advanced tissue cultures can also be applied for hybridisation as it allows the development of plants from tissues taken in controlled artificial conditions.

Examples of Artificial Hybridisation in Plants

Among the key crops which have been artificially hybridised include:

Hybrid Maize: Hybrid maize strains develop much more yield and are very sensitive to environmental stress.

Hybrid Rice: Hybrid rice cultivation has amplified the production and food security of most nations.

Flowering Plants: Even decorative flowers like roses and chrysanthemums have produced abnormal shades of colours as well as shapes due to human hybridization.

Tips, Tricks and Strategies to Study Artificial Hybridisation for Exams

Here are some tips and tricks to study artificial hybridisation for exams:

For Steps of Artificial Hybridisation

"Eager People Pollinate Flowers Carefully"

• Emasculation
• Pollination
• Plant Selection
• Fertilization
• Cultivation of hybrids

For Advantages of Artificial Hybridisation

"Yummy Delicious Veggies Are Amazing!"

• Yield Improvement
• Disease Resistance
• Variability in Traits
• Adaptability to Environments

For Key Techniques in Artificial Hybridisation

"CUTE Techniques For Hybrid Plants"

• Control Pollination
• Use of Hormones
• Tissue Culture
• Emasculation

For Characteristics of Hybrid Plants

"VIGOR"

• Vigor (Increased Growth)
• Impact (Higher Yield)
• Genetic Uniformity
• Optimized Traits (Disease Resistance)
• Resilience (Adaptability)

Types of Questions and Weightage of Artificial Hybridisation in Exams

The table below indicates the weightage and types of questions asked from artificial hybridisation in plants:

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