plant genetics

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plant genetics Science of heredity and variation in plants. Research in genetics since 1900 supplied the principles of plant breeding, especially hybridization. The development of consistently reliable and healthy first-generation crosses (F1 hybrids) revolutionized the growing of food crops, ornamental annuals, and bedding plants. Genetic engineers grow cell and tissue cultures by the replication or cloning of sterile plant types. They also concentrate on isolating individual genes with the aim of producing new colour varieties for traditional flowers, improving the flavour of food crops, breeding resistance to pests and herbicides, and lengthening the shelf life of harvested crops. These processes involve genetic engineering and produce genetically modified food.

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