What is bagging technique? How is it useful in a plant breeding programme?
Explanation After the male reproductive part, i.e. the anther, is removed from a bisexual flower by the process of emasculation, the female parts of the flower must be protected against any foreign and undesired pollen grains. To cross the female stigma with only the pollen of their choice, the plant breeders cover the flower with a bag so that no other pollen falls on it. This process is called bagging. This technique is used to produce new varieties of plants. Plant breeders cross plants of their choice to get desired characteristics in the new progeny. Bagging helps in maintaining the purity of the new variety to be produced Final Answer After the process of bagging, the flower is dusted with the selected pollen. No other pollen is allowed to fall on it so that fertilization of undesired variety does not occur. The new variety produced has the desired traits of both the parents, as selected by the plant breeders.
