Q.Which is called the Drosophila of the Plant Kingdom and why? OR How is diatomaceous earth formed? Write.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Arabidopsis thaliana, a small mustard-family plant, is nicknamed the 'Drosophila of the Plant Kingdom' because it shares the same experimentally convenient traits that made Drosophila the model organism of choice in animal genetics.
In genetics, a 'model organism' is chosen because it is easy and quick to study and its findings can be generalised. Drosophila melanogaster (fruit fly) filled this role for animals due to its short generation time, easy laboratory maintenance, and large number of offspring. Similarly, in plant biology, Arabidopsis thaliana has become the standard model plant because it shares comparable advantages:
- A very short life cycle (about 6 weeks from seed to seed), allowing many generations to be studied quickly.
- Small plant size, so many plants can be grown in a small laboratory space.
- Produces a very large number of seeds per plant, aiding genetic crosses and statistical analysis.
- Easy to grow under controlled conditions and easy to genetically transform. …
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