What is the purpose of germplasm collection in plant breeding?
To create new varieties using genetic engineering
To evaluate and select desirable plants for hybridisation
To preserve genetic variability from wild relatives of the crop
None of the above
The genetic variability available in plant populations is the basis of plant breeding. Wild varieties, species, and relatives of cultivated plants contain genes that may be useful in improving the cultivated plants. By collecting and preserving these wild plants, breeders can access their genetic variability and use it to develop new and improved varieties of crops that are better adapted to different environmental conditions and more resistant to diseases and pests. The germplasm collection is a repository of all the diverse alleles for all genes in a given crop, and it is an important resource for plant breeders to develop new crop varieties with desirable traits. Therefore, option 3) is the correct answer. Option a) is incorrect as it refers to genetic engineering, which is a different process. Option 2) is also incorrect as it describes the process of evaluating and selecting desirable plants, which is a separate step in the breeding process. option 3) is the correct answer.