Question:

Arabidopsis thaliana is advantageous for plant genetic research, because -
(A) It is a small plant with a short life cycle
(B) It is a commercially important oilseed crop with a botanical closeness with almost all the cereal crops
(C) It has a small genome size with known sequence information
(D) It can be raised inexpensively

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*Arabidopsis thaliana* is also highly amenable to genetic transformation using the *Agrobacterium-mediated* vacuum infiltration (flower dip) method, which bypasses the need for plant tissue culture.
  • (A), (B) and (C) only.
  • (A), (B) and (D) only.
  • (A), (C) and (D).
  • (B), (C) and (D) only.
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The Correct Option is C

Solution and Explanation

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
A model organism is a non-human species studied extensively to understand specific biological phenomena, with the expectation that discoveries will apply to other species.
*Arabidopsis thaliana* (thale cress) is the premier model organism used in plant genetics, molecular biology, and development.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:

Let us analyze the features of *Arabidopsis thaliana*:
- Small size and short life cycle (A): It grows to a height of only $20\text{ to }25 \text{ cm}$ and completes its life cycle (from seed to seed) in 6 weeks, allowing for rapid multigenerational studies. (True)
- Small genome with sequence info (C): It has a very small genome (approx. $135 \text{ Mb}$) distributed across 5 chromosomes. It was the first plant genome to be completely sequenced in 2000, providing a wealth of genetic information. (True)
- Inexpensive cultivation (D): Because of its small size, thousands of plants can be grown in small laboratory spaces or growth chambers at minimal cost. (True)
- Commercial value and cereal closeness (B): This statement is incorrect.
*Arabidopsis thaliana* is a wild weed with no commercial agricultural value.
Furthermore, it belongs to the dicot family Brassicaceae, which is genetically and botanically distant from monocot cereal crops (family Poaceae).
Therefore, features (A), (C), and (D) are the correct advantages of *Arabidopsis*.

Step 3: Final Answer:

The correct advantages are (A), (C), and (D), which corresponds to option (C).
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