Question

Given below are two statements, one is labeled as Assertion (A), and the other one is labeled as Reason (R).
• [Assertion (A):] Self-incompatibility, male sterility, and pistillate condition have one effect in common i.e. they prevent self-pollination. 
• [Reason (R):] Self-incompatibility and male sterility are used in hybrid seed production while pistillate condition is used in inbred development. In light of the above statements, choose the correct answer from the options given below. 
 

• A. Both (A) and (R) are true and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).
• B. Both (A) and (R) are true but (R) is NOT the correct explanation of (A).
• C. (A) is true but (R) is false.
• D. (A) is false but (R) is true.

Hint:

To remember: any trait or mechanism that prevents self-pollination (such as self-incompatibility, male sterility, or dioecy) is primarily used by plant breeders to facilitate commercial hybrid seed production without manual labor.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is C

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Plants have evolved various mechanisms—such as self-incompatibility, male sterility, and unisexual flowers—to prevent self-pollination and promote cross-pollination.
Breeders use these mechanisms to facilitate controlled cross-pollination in hybrid seed production.

Step 3: Detailed Explanation:
Let us analyze the Assertion and Reason statements:
- Assertion (A) is true:
1. Self-incompatibility prevents functional pollen from fertilizing ovules of the same plant.
2. Male sterility occurs when a plant cannot produce functional pollen.
3. Pistillate condition is a unisexual state where a plant produces only female flowers (e.g., in castor).
All three mechanisms prevent self-pollination and promote cross-pollination.
- Reason (R) is false:
While self-incompatibility and male sterility are widely used in hybrid seed production to eliminate the need for manual emasculation, the pistillate condition is also used for hybrid seed production.
For example, in castor (Ricinus communis), hybrid seeds are produced commercially by crossing a pistillate maternal line with a monoecious paternal line.
The pistillate condition is not used for "inbred development."
Therefore, Assertion (A) is true, but Reason (R) is false.

Step 4: Final Answer:
The correct option is (A) is true but (R) is false, matching Option (C).