question_answer 60)

  The term 'desirable trait' can mean different things for different plants. Justify the statement with suitable examples.

Answer:

                  The desirable trait can be different for different for different plants. The breeders have tried to incorporate these into crop plants. The list may be as follows (i) Increased tolerance to environmental stress (salinity extreme temperature, drought)e.g., hybrid maize, jowar and bajra which are resistant to water stess. (ii) Resistance to pathogens (viruses, fungi and bacteria) e.g., moong bean (resistance to yellow mosaic virus and powdery mildew). (iii) Increased tolerance to insect pests, e.g., a new variety of Brassica (rapeseed mustard)is resistant to aphids. (iv) High-yielding and improved quality of crop plant, e.g., Atlas 66 used as a donor for developing wheat varieties with improved protein content.