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In plant breeding programmes, the entire collection (of plants/seeds) having all the diverse alleles for all genes in a given crop is called:
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- cross-hybridisation among the selected parents.
- evaluation and selection of parents.
- germplasm collection
- selection of superior recombinants.
Correct Option: C
Germplasm collection is the first step of plant breeding programmes. As genetic variability is the root of any breeding programme. In many crops pre-existing genetic variability is available from wild relatives of the crop. Collection and preservation of all the different wild varieties, species and relatives of the cultivated species (followed by their characteristics) is a prerequisite for effective exploitation of natural genes available in the population.
