Question

Hybridization through protoplast fusion is called as
A. Emasculation
B. Parasexual hybridisation
C. Germinal hybridisation
D. Inbreeding

Answer 1

Hint: Hybridisation process is usually employed for increasing the yield and quality of organisms. Protoplast fusion is the fusion of isolated protoplasts from somatic cells and regeneration of hybrid plants from the fusion products.

Complete answer:
Artificial hybridisation is defined as the process of crossing two genetically different individuals having desirable traits to obtain an offspring having superior traits than the parents. This includes animal breeding and plant breeding.
Various techniques of breeding are used to increase the yield of livestock. They may be inbreeding, cross-breeding, etc. Inbreeding refers to the breeding of more closely related individuals of the same breed for four to six generations.

Plant breeding can be used to produce varieties that are resistant to diseases and insect pests. This raises the food yield. Classical plant breeding requires the crossing or hybridization of pure lines along with artificial selection to obtain plants with desirable characteristics like higher yield, nutrition, and disease tolerance. The removal of stamens or anthers or the destruction of flower pollen is known as emasculation. Emasculation is necessary to prevent self-pollination in bisexual flowers. Male flowers are removed in monoecious plants. Isolated protoplasts from two separate types of plants each of which has a favorable character can be fused to create hybrid protoplasts, which can be further grown to produce a new plant. These hybrids are called somatic hybrids and the process is called somatic hybridisation or parasexual hybridisation.

Hence, the correct answer is option (B)

Note: Hybridisation has been used to increase crop yield and livestock production. Selective breeding, however, has its drawbacks. It may result in the extinction of certain species or original hybrid varieties.