Cross-pollination is the process of creating hybrids in plants. It involves taking different varieties of plants and mixing them in the pollination process.
It is commonly seen as the manipulation of a seed variety. The farmer intentionally decided the type of seed they wanted to achieve. Then they select the varieties and crossbreed to create a hybrid.
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Cross-pollination is used when the farmers have some desired characteristics of plants. They use different varieties and combine them. From this process, they create a new seed.
This is mainly done commercially. It is a process that requires expertise and skill. The gardener must learn the procedures before engaging.
Why create hybrid plants?
Hybrid plants are used to create positive attributes of different plants. The traits of these plants are passed on to the new plant.
A common way of hybrid plant creation is to create resistance to diseases. It is also to increase yield in a plant. But farmers have different reasons for engaging in hybrid creation.
How to hybridize plants
There are a few steps to creating hybrid plants.
Step 1: Identify the desired breeds
Hybridizing plants is a long process. It starts with identifying the plants that you want to crossbreed. This can be done by examining the available breeds. It is good to look at the characteristic of these plants.
Step 2: Tools and equipment
It is also essential to select the right tools that will be used. This includes the tools to collect and transport the pollen. Among the common types used as swabs.
They help with the manual transfer of pollen from the flower. Searching for other types of equipment that work well in creating hybrids is good.
Step 3: Cross-pollination
The next step is to engage in crossbreeding. This starts with the collection of pollen from the male plant. The use of swabs or specific equipment can do this. Then transfer the pollen to the female flowers.
Types of hybridization
The entire cross-pollination is a manual procedure. This is mainly done to prevent self-pollinating. The pollen is harvested when it matures.
It has to be done to perfection. This ensures that the farmers get the desired results. Hybrid plants can be categorized into three types.
- a) Single cross hybrid
- b) Three-way cross hybrid
- c) Double cross hybrid.
A single crossbreed happens when two different varieties are cross-pollinated. The three-way and double cross breeds involve more than two varieties of plants.
Depending on the farmer’s preference, the plants can be cross-pollinated at different intervals.
Reasons for creating hybrid plants
There are numerous reasons why farmers decide to create new plants. Cross-pollination can be initiated to achieve different objectives.
- Increase plant production
- Attain desired characteristics
- Promote disease resistance
- Increase plant production
Experts observe that commercial hybrid processes are standard in today’s society. The idea is to create plants that produce more. The process has been seen as very effective in increasing food production.
- Attain desired characteristics
The other primary intention of creating hybrid plants is to acquire specific characteristics. Some gardeners desire to get specific characteristics of a plant. This could be the color, the blooming or the shape of the fruit.
- Promote disease resistance
The other primary reason is promoting disease resistance among plants. This has been applied in many research across the relevant institutions.
It is the procedure of protecting plants from disease attacks. The process has worked efficiently in today’s farming.
Examples of hybridized plants
Different types of plants can be identified as popular hybrids.
- Hybrid Lilies
Hybrid lilies are identified as pollinated lilies that result from a hybridization process. They are identified as a variety of large flowers.
The flowers come in pink, red, purple, or white colors. Hybrid lilies are popular among gardeners. They are quickly grown in pots in the backyard.
- Sweet Corn
Sweet corn is also categorized among the common hybrid plants. Sweet corn is popularly hybridized to increase the production of these plants.
The gardeners selected desired varieties of corn and combined them. This is most common in extensive commercial gardens.
- Olympia
Olympia is also among the hybrid plants that are popular among farmers. The superior growth of this plant makes it a favorite among many farmers. It is also identified as the hybrid spinach.
The creation of this hybrid was to come up with a disease-resistant plant. It was also to come up with a fast-growing spinach.
Pollination has been a popular approach among farmers to create new seed varieties. Creating hybrid plants is identified as crossbreeding.
It is the process of selecting the desired traits of a given plant and combining them with others to create a new plant.
Cross-pollination has been identified as primarily used in creating plants that are high producers. It is also a common approach for creating disease-resistant plants.
It is essential to seek an expert opinion before engaging in any effort of cross-pollination to avoid failure.