Q.Given below are the events that are observed in an artificial hybridization programme. Arrange them in the correct sequential order in which they are followed in the hybridisation programme:

In an artificial hybridization program, the bagging technique is essential for maintaining the purity of the desired cross. After emasculation, the female parent flower is covered with a butter paper bag to prevent its stigma from being contaminated by any unwanted pollen. This ensures that only pollen from the chosen male parent reaches the stigma. Following the dusting of desired pollen onto the receptive stigma, the flower is re-bagged to protect the pollinated pistil from further contamination by foreign pollen.

The correct sequential order of the given events in an artificial hybridization program is:

• Selection of parents
• Emasculation
• Bagging
• Collection of pollen from male parent
• Dusting the pollen on stigma …

Artificial hybridization is a crucial technique in plant breeding programs aimed at developing new crop varieties with desired characteristics like increased yield, disease resistance, or improved quality. The core idea behind this technique is to ensure that only the pollen from the desired male parent lands on the stigma of the chosen female parent, thereby preventing contamination from unwanted pollen. This controlled cross-pollination is achieved through a series of meticulous steps.

The process begins with the careful (b) Selection of parents. Plant breeders identify and choose parent plants that possess the specific desirable traits they wish to combine in the offspring. For instance, one parent might be high-yielding, while another might be disease-resistant. The goal is to combine these beneficial traits into a single hybrid variety.

Once the parents are selected, the next critical step, particularly for bisexual flowers (flowers containing both male and female reproductive organs), is (e) Emasculation. This involves the removal of the anthers from the flower bud of the female parent before they dehisce (release pollen). Emasculation is performed to prevent self-pollination, ensuring that the stigma of the female parent is receptive only to pollen from the chosen male parent. If the female parent produces unisexual flowers (flowers with only male or female parts), emasculation is not necessary, as there are no anthers to remove.

Immediately after emasculation, the emasculated flower is covered with a bag, a process known as (c) Bagging. This bag, usually made of butter paper or a plastic film, prevents contamination of the stigma by unwanted pollen from other flowers, whether from the same plant or different plants. The bag acts as a protective barrier, ensuring that the stigma remains pure until the desired pollen is introduced.

While the female flower is being prepared and protected, pollen is collected from the chosen male parent. This is (f) Collection of pollen from male parent. The anthers of the selected male parent are allowed to mature and dehisce, and their pollen grains are carefully collected. This pollen is then stored appropriately until the stigma of the emasculated female flower becomes receptive. …