Pinching of male flower bud can be commercially exploited for hybrid seed production in…? (IGKV CET Horti 2019)

✅Explanation:Pinching of male flower buds, also known as emasculation, is a technique used in hybrid seed production to ensure controlled pollination. It's particularly effective in plants with perfect flowers (having both male and female reproductive organs in the same blossom).Here's why watermelon is the most suitable answer:
-Breeding System: Watermelon has perfect flowers, making emasculation a viable option.
-Hybrid Seed Production: Watermelon cultivation heavily relies on hybrid seeds for improved yield and disease resistance. Emasculation followed by controlled pollination with desired pollen helps create these hybrids.

📌 Other Options Explained:
-(b) Chilli: Some chilli breeding programs might use alternative techniques like cytoplasmic male sterility (CMS) for large-scale hybrid seed production.
-(c) Pea: Peas are self-pollinating plants, meaning their flowers fertilize themselves without any external intervention.
-(d) Radish: Radish is also a self-pollinating crop. Emasculation wouldn't be a commercially preferred method for hybrid seed production in radish.

🔴 Related terminology:
-Emasculation: Removal of male reproductive organs (anthers) from a flower before pollen maturity to prevent self-pollination.
-Perfect Flower: A flower containing both male (stamen) and female (pistil) reproductive parts.
-Hybrid Seed: Seeds produced from crossing genetically distinct parent plants, often leading to offspring with desired traits.