Question

Clones are
A. Plants raised from a single parent
B. Population of plants produced vegetatively
C. Genetically similar to the parent plant
D. All of the above

Answer 1

Hint: As we know that cloning is the process of producing genetically similar populations. Cloning occurs in controlled condition of nature and it is asexual mode of reproduction. There are two types of cloning: natural and molecular. Natural cloning is particularly followed by plants and molecular cloning amplifies DNA fragments.

Complete answer:
Clones are identical copies of the individual and are present in nature. Natural cloning occurs in lower organisms i.e. Fungi, algae, etc. and Artificial cloning occurs in Monozygotic twins. Cloning occurs in all the animals and plants.
Advantages of cloning: Infertile couples who wish to have a child cloning can help them by inducing their cells, individuals who wish to have a child that is genetically identical to them, parents who have lost their child and wish to have another genetically identical, those individuals who wish to have a copy of them in the other individual.
Option (a) Plants raised from a single parent- As cloning is a process where identical copies are produced by inducing parent genes. Here, plants can be raised from a single parent. So, the given option is correct.
Option (b) Population of plants produced vegetatively- Here, vegetative propagation is a asexual mode of reproduction and the parent plant results to form offspring. So, this option is also correct for cloning.
Option (c) Genetically similar to the parent plant- Cloning means genetically identical copies of the parent plant are produced so the plant produced (resultant plant) is genetically similar to the parent plant. So this option is also correct.

Hence, the correct answer is option (D) i.e. All of the above. As all the given statements are correct for cloning.

Note:
Cloning helps the infertile couples to bear children and it has great contribution in organ replacement. In humans cloning is not easy. It occurs in plants and animals; Natural cloning occurs in lower organisms and artificial cloning occurs in monozygotic twins. It is always risky and organ rejection can be a major problem.