What is the primary objective of plant breeding?
a) To decrease genetic diversity
b) To maintain wild plant populations
c) To develop plants with desirable traits
d) To eradicate plant diseases
Answer: c) To develop plants with desirable traits
Which technique involves the controlled pollination between two genetically different plants to produce offspring with desirable traits?
a) Cloning
b) Hybridization
c) Tissue culture
d) Grafting
Answer: b) Hybridization
What is genetic diversity in plant breeding?
a) The number of different plant species in an area
b) The number of genes present within a single plant species
c) The variation of inherited traits within a plant population
d) The degree of resistance of plants to pests and diseases
Answer: c) The variation of inherited traits within a plant population
Which method is used to introduce mutations in plant genomes to generate genetic variation?
a) Hybridization
b) Selection
c) Mutation breeding
d) Transgenic breeding
Answer: c) Mutation breeding
What is the term for the physical expression of an organism’s genetic makeup?
a) Genotype
b) Phenotype
c) Allele
d) Chromosome
Answer: b) Phenotype
What is the purpose of marker-assisted selection (MAS) in plant breeding?
a) To produce genetically modified plants
b) To identify plants with desirable traits at the molecular level
c) To induce mutations in plant genomes
d) To cross genetically similar plants
Answer: b) To identify plants with desirable traits at the molecular level
Which breeding method involves transferring genes from one plant species to another to confer specific traits?
a) Mutation breeding
b) Transgenic breeding
c) Selection
d) Hybridization
Answer: b) Transgenic breeding
What is the term for the process of crossing a plant with itself or with a genetically similar plant?
a) Outcrossing
b) Self-pollination
c) Backcrossing
d) Reciprocal crossing
Answer: b) Self-pollination
What is the primary advantage of using genetically modified organisms (GMOs) in agriculture?
a) Increased genetic diversity
b) Enhanced crop yields
c) Reduced pesticide use
d) Preservation of natural habitats
Answer: b) Enhanced crop yields
Which breeding method involves selecting and breeding plants from different geographical regions?
a) Recurrent selection
b) Introgression
c) Hybridization
d) Transgenic breeding
Answer: b) Introgression
What is the term for the physical location of a gene on a chromosome?
a) Genotype
b) Phenotype
c) Locus
d) Allele
Answer: c) Locus
Which of the following is NOT a method used to induce mutations in plants?
a) Radiation
b) Chemical mutagenesis
c) Hybridization
d) TILLING (Targeting Induced Local Lesions IN Genomes)
Answer: c) Hybridization
What is meant by the term “allele” in genetics?
a) A specific form of a gene
b) The entire genetic makeup of an organism
c) The physical expression of a trait
d) The genetic variability within a population
Answer: a) A specific form of a gene
Which breeding method involves selecting and crossing plants with similar phenotypes to produce offspring with uniform traits?
a) Selection
b) Hybridization
c) Mutation breeding
d) Mass selection
Answer: d) Mass selection
What is the term for the transfer of genes between different species through non-sexual means?
a) Gene flow
b) Gene editing
c) Horizontal gene transfer
d) Vertical gene transfer
Answer: c) Horizontal gene transfer
Which of the following is a qualitative trait in plants?
a) Plant height
b) Flower color
c) Seed yield
d) Disease resistance
Answer: b) Flower color
What is the purpose of backcrossing in plant breeding?
a) To increase genetic diversity
b) To introduce new genes into a plant’s genome
c) To fix a desirable trait into a plant’s genetic background
d) To create genetically modified organisms
Answer: c) To fix a desirable trait into a plant’s genetic background
Which of the following is NOT a factor influencing gene flow in plant populations?
a) Wind
b) Insect pollination
c) Soil pH
d) Water
Answer: c) Soil pH
What is the term for the mating of plants with unrelated genetic backgrounds?
a) Self-pollination
b) Outcrossing
c) Backcrossing
d) Inbreeding
Answer: b) Outcrossing
What is the primary purpose of creating hybrid plants in agriculture?
a) To increase genetic diversity
b) To enhance crop productivity and quality
c) To reduce pest resistance
d) To preserve endangered plant species
Answer: b) To enhance crop productivity and quality
Which of the following is a quantitative trait in plants?
a) Flower color
b) Disease resistance
c) Seed germination
d) Leaf shape
Answer: b) Disease resistance
What is the term for the process of artificially inducing mutations in plants to generate genetic variation?
a) Hybridization
b) Selection
c) Mutation breeding
d) Recombination
Answer: c) Mutation breeding
Which breeding method involves selecting individual plants with desired traits from a population and crossing them to produce the next generation?
a) Backcrossing
b) Recurrent selection
c) Hybridization
d) Cloning
Answer: b) Recurrent selection