Plant Propagation Techniques

The growth of a mass of cells of the same species in a test tube is called pure culture.

Runners are horizontally oriented stems that grow along the soil surface. Their function is vegetative production. For example, a number of grasses have stolons. Strawberries are generally propagated by crown division method.

Offshoots apply to lateral branches on stems of monocots. Date palm, pineapple, banana and orchids produce offshoots. Bamboo also propagate from offshoots; if left unchecked, they will form whole forests of plants.

Gibberellin induces parthenocarpy, i.e. develop seedless fruits from unfertilized pistils.

Mutant selection involves growing plant cell cultures in vitro and screening for mutants with desired traits (like insecticide resistance). Selected mutant cells can then be regenerated into whole plants. Clonal propagation produces genetically identical copies. Cybridization combines cytoplasm from one species with nucleus of another. Protoplast fusion combines whole genomes.

Interspecific somatic hybridization requires: (1) obtaining haploid cells from parental species, (2) removing cellulose walls to isolate protoplasts using enzymes like cellulase and pectinase, (3) fusing protoplasts using PEG or electrofusion, and (4) regenerating the fused hybrid cells into plants through tissue culture. Option A correctly sequences these steps.

Biofortification is the process of breeding crops to increase their nutritional value - specifically higher levels of minerals (iron, zinc), vitamins (vitamin A), proteins, or healthier fats. Micropropagation is rapid vegetative propagation. Somatic hybridization combines genomes of two species. Biomagnification refers to increasing toxin concentration up food chains - unrelated to breeding.

It is a small piece of plant organ.

Colchicine can change a plant to homozygous diploid form.

Guava roots, when sown in the soil, develop into a new plant by virtue of vegetative propagation. Guava roots possess buds from which new plants grow.

Cropping is also known as trimming and is just done to keep plants short and bushy, resulting in many smaller buds. Hybridization is the process of combining different varieties or species of organism to create a hybrid. Tissue culture is a technique of growing explant (cell, tissue or organ) under in vitro (outside the living cell in a petriplate) conditions. Insemination is the introduction of sperm into the female uterus of a mammal. It takes place in animals. Therefore, the process of crossing between genetically dissimilar plant varieties is known as hybridization.

It will relieve the plant of the phenomena called as apical dominance and after removing the apical bud growth will occur vigorously including the lateral buds.

Plant breeding is the art and science of changing the traits of plants in order to produce desired characteristics. So, this is the correct option.

A ring of bark is removed from lower branch and it is bent down, and then it is covered by soft soil. After some months, roots develop and the branch is cut off, so that it can grow independently. It is done in case of grapes, lemon and strawberry. Hence, it is the correct option.