Why are researchers the world over, trying to transfer ‘apomictic’ genes into hybrid seeds? Give reasons (any two).

Apomixis is an asexual mode of plant reproduction. In this the seeds are produced without fertilisation. So apomixis seeds are clones of mother plants.

The researchers the world over, trying to transfer ‘apomictic’ genes into hybrid seeds for the following reasons:

i. Production of hybrid seeds is costly and lengthy process. Hence by converting apomictic genes to hybrid seeds would help plant breeders to produce new varieties of seeds more quickly and more easily.

ii. Hybrid seeds need to be produced every year and later they would segregate progeny in plants and hybrids characters are lost. By this method the seed companies would gain from the accelerated breeding capabilities and their ability to produce new and cheaper varieties faster.

iii. Farmers can be able to save the hybrid seeds in this method for the following crop, saving their money and keeping their yields high.