MP Board · Class 12 · Biology · Sexual Reproduction in Flowering PlantsWhat is apomixis? Explain its significance in hybrid seed industry with suitable points.

Apomixis is a specialized mode of reproduction in flowering plants where seeds are produced without undergoing the processes of meiosis and fertilization. In other words, it is asexual reproduction that mimics sexual reproduction, resulting in the formation of clonal progeny from maternal tissues (such as nucellus or integuments) or unreduced egg cells. \nSignificance in the hybrid seed industry:

1. Prevention of Segregation: In hybrid varieties, the desired traits segregate in the progeny during sexual reproduction, meaning farmers have to buy fresh hybrid seeds every year. Apomixis allows the fixation of hybrid vigor (heterosis) across generations without segregation of characters.
2. Cost-Effective Production: If apomictic genes are successfully transferred into hybrid crops, farmers can use harvested seeds from their own fields to cultivate crops with identical high yields year after year, saving substantial costs.