Question

Identify the plant in which emasculation is not required for artificial hybridization.

• A. Rice
• B. Wheat
• C. Pea
• D. Papaya

Hint:

Remember: Emasculation is for Bisexual flowers to prevent Selfing.
Bagging is used for both Bisexual and Unisexual flowers to prevent Cross-contamination by unwanted foreign pollen.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is D

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Emasculation is a crucial step in the artificial hybridization of plants with bisexual flowers.
It involves the removal of anthers from the female parent's flower bud before they mature and shed pollen, preventing self-pollination.
Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
The requirement for emasculation depends on the sexuality of the flowers of the plant being used as the female parent:
1. Bisexual Flowers: Plants like Rice, Wheat, and Pea bear bisexual flowers (containing both male and female reproductive parts). In these cases, emasculation is mandatory to avoid unwanted self-pollination.
2. Unisexual Flowers: In plants that produce unisexual flowers, if a female flower is chosen as the parent, it lacks anthers by nature. Therefore, the step of removing anthers (emasculation) is not required.
3. Analysis of Options: Rice, Wheat, and Pea are typically characterized by bisexual flowers in their standard reproductive structures used in breeding.
4. Papaya: It is a dioecious plant, meaning it bears male and female flowers on separate individual plants. If a female papaya plant is used for hybridization, its flowers are already unisexual and do not contain stamens.
Step 3: Final Answer:
Because Papaya bears unisexual flowers on separate plants, emasculation is not required when using a female plant for artificial hybridization.