Question

Given below are two statements, one is labelled as Assertion (A) and other one labelled as Reason (R).
Assertion (A): Apple requires minimum 33% plants of pollinizers variety(ies)
Reason (R): To achieve optimum fruit set in fruit crops there is an absolute need to have suitable pollinizers in cross pollinated crop
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:

Pollinizers must have overlapping bloom times with the main commercial variety.
Crabapples are frequently used as highly effective pollinizers in commercial apple orchards due to their profuse flowering.

Answer 1

The Correct Option is A

Step 1: Understanding the Concept:
Many commercial fruit crops, especially temperate fruits like apple, exhibit self-incompatibility.
This genetic mechanism prevents self-fertilization, making cross-pollination essential for fruit set.

Step 2: Detailed Explanation:
Assertion (A): Most commercial apple (Malus domestica) cultivars (e.g., Royal Delicious) are highly self-incompatible.
To obtain a commercial crop, pollen from a compatible, different apple variety (called a pollinizer) must be transferred to the main variety.
To ensure sufficient pollen distribution by bees, standard orchard designs require a minimum of 11% to 33% of the trees to be pollinizers.
In highly commercial orchards, a 33% proportion (such as every third tree in every third row) is recommended for optimum yields. Thus, Assertion (A) is true.
Reason (R): For cross-pollinated, self-incompatible crops, planting suitable, synchronized pollinizer varieties is an absolute requirement to facilitate cross-fertilization. Thus, Reason (R) is true.
The reason why apple orchards require a high proportion of pollinizers (33%) is directly because they are cross-pollinated and self-incompatible.
Therefore, (R) is the correct biological explanation of (A).

Step 3: Final Answer:
Both Assertion (A) and Reason (R) are true, and (R) is the correct explanation of (A).