Experimentation in Plant Breeding MCQs

1. Which of the following experimental designs is most commonly used in plant breeding to evaluate genetic variability among different varieties?
(A) Completely Randomized Design (CRD)
(B) Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD)
(C) Factorial Design
(D) Split-plot Design

2. What is the primary purpose of a diallel cross in plant breeding?
(A) To estimate the heritability of a trait
(B) To evaluate the effects of inbreeding depression
(C) To study the genetic interactions among several parent varieties
(D) To assess the environmental impact on crop performance

3. Which of the following is NOT a key principle of the “forward breeding” strategy in plant breeding?
(A) The crossing of elite varieties to combine desirable traits
(B) The use of hybrid vigor to improve yield
(C) The introduction of alleles from wild species for disease resistance
(D) The selection of the best-performing individuals for self-pollination

4. Which of the following experimental techniques is used in plant breeding to evaluate the combining ability of two parent plants?
(A) Mutation breeding
(B) Gene pyramiding
(C) Heterosis (hybrid vigor) testing
(D) G × E (genotype × environment) interaction studies

5. In a plant breeding program, the term “heterosis” refers to:
(A) The increase in genetic uniformity in the offspring
(B) The loss of desirable traits in the offspring
(C) The hybrid vigor or increased performance of hybrids compared to parents
(D) The genetic improvement achieved by self-pollination

6. What is the main goal of using a recurrent selection method in plant breeding?
(A) To combine desirable traits from different varieties into one hybrid
(B) To develop a population with increased genetic diversity
(C) To improve a population by selecting for specific traits over multiple generations
(D) To assess the response of a population to environmental changes

7. Which of the following methods is most commonly used to induce mutations in plants for breeding purposes?
(A) Cross-pollination
(B) Hybridization
(C) Chemical mutagenesis
(D) Gene editing

8. In a breeding program, what is the purpose of backcrossing?
(A) To increase genetic diversity in the breeding population
(B) To introduce a specific trait from a donor parent into a recurrent parent
(C) To evaluate the effects of environment on plant traits
(D) To test hybrid vigor between two parent lines

9. Which of the following is the primary advantage of using molecular markers in plant breeding?
(A) To reduce the need for field trials
(B) To identify and select for traits that are difficult to observe phenotypically
(C) To improve the efficiency of traditional crossbreeding
(D) To create genetically uniform populations

10. In a plant breeding experiment, what is the primary purpose of using a control group?
(A) To measure the effect of different experimental treatments
(B) To prevent contamination of the experiment by external factors
(C) To ensure that all experimental treatments are conducted under identical conditions
(D) To measure the environmental impact of breeding methods

11. What is the primary focus of “mutation breeding” in plant breeding programs?
(A) To cross different plant varieties and observe hybrid performance
(B) To introduce new genetic variations by inducing mutations
(C) To select plants based on phenotypic traits
(D) To develop inbred lines through repeated self-pollination

12. Which of the following is the most common method for creating hybrid varieties in crop breeding?
(A) Using genetic engineering to insert foreign genes
(B) Cross-pollination between two genetically different parental lines
(C) Inbreeding between genetically similar individuals
(D) Hybridization using molecular markers

13. What is the main objective of using the “single seed descent” method in plant breeding?
(A) To maintain genetic variability in the breeding population
(B) To rapidly advance generations while maintaining genetic integrity
(C) To develop genetically uniform populations
(D) To create hybrids with increased heterosis

14. Which of the following is a disadvantage of using inbreeding in plant breeding?
(A) It can lead to a higher genetic diversity in the offspring
(B) It can increase the risk of inbreeding depression, where traits like vigor or fertility decrease
(C) It results in immediate hybrid vigor
(D) It increases the heterozygosity in the population

15. Which of the following statistical methods is commonly used in plant breeding to estimate the heritability of a trait?
(A) Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)
(B) Regression analysis
(C) Correlation analysis
(D) Principal Component Analysis (PCA)