Question

The technique of protoplast fusion was developed by
(a) Halperin and Wetherell
(b) Carlson et al
(c) White
(d) Steward

Answer 1

Protoplast fusion is a technique that involves the generation of a hybrid plant by fusion of protoplasm of cells of two different species of plants. The technique of protoplast fusion was developed about 20 years ago in species of tobacco plant Nicotiana glauca. This led to a development in the field of plant breeding experiments.

Complete answer:
The technique of protoplast fusion was developed by Carlson et al in Nicotiana glauca in 1972. It is a genetic modification in plants. Protoplast fusion is done to make plants resistant to certain diseases, or modify the characteristics of plants. The modified plant cell has a hybrid nucleus but they have cytoplasm of both the parent plants.

Additional Information: - In protoplast fusion, the protoplast is extracted from the cell of two different species of plants by treating the plant cell with cellulose (lytic enzyme) that digests the cell wall of the plant cell and the protoplasts are obtained
- Now the protoplasts of the plants are fused by giving electric shock or by treating them with polyethylene glycol (PEG) and this leads to the fusion of nuclei.
- Then by using hormones, the cell wall is induced. Now the cells grow and lead to the formation of plantlets and finally a grown plant i.e., a hybridized plant.
- It is useful to study control of cell division in plants, to obtain viral replication, and is useful in plant breeding experiments.
So, the correct answer is Carlson et al.

Note: Protoplast fusion has to lead to the formation of some useful hybrids like hybrid formed by crossing oat with maize, Brassica sinensis with Brassica oleracea whereas when tomato was crossed with potato it leads to the development of pomato which was indeed a great discovery but it lacked nutritional quality and traits that were expected from this hybrid.