About Lesson
- Mode of reproduction determines the genetic constitution of crop plants, that is, whether the plants are normally homozygous or heterozygous.
- This, in turn, determines the goal of a breeding programme.
- If the crop plants are naturally homozygous, e.g., as in self-pollinators like wheat, a homozygous line would be desirable as a variety.
- But if the plants are heterozygous naturally, e.g., as in cross-pollinators like Maize, a heterozygous population has to be developed as a variety.
- Consequently, the breeding methods have to be vastly different for the two groups of crop plants.
- A knowledge of the mode of reproduction of crop plants is also important for making artificial hybrids.
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