Question
What is polyembryony and how can it be commercially exploited?

Answer

In some varieties of citrus and mango, the nucellar cells start dividing and protrude into the embryo sac. They eventually produce multiple embryos. This condition is called polyembryony. This is an apomictic condition in which embryos develop without fertilization. Polyembryony can be commercially exploited by producing seeds of hybrid varieties at lower cost. In case of hybrid plants, a farmer needs to buy seeds every year because plants from hybrid seeds fail to produce hybrid sees due to laws of inheritance. Buying fresh seeds in every season is very costly. If hybrid seeds are produced with polyembryonic condition, then it would be possible for the famers to utilize those seeds for the next year and subsequent years. This is still at research stage but there are bright prospects for future.

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