In a field of sugarcane, all the plants have been damaged during an epidemic of a fungal disease, whereas, in another field in the same area, there were many plants that were not affected by the disease.
(i) Explain the reason for this observation.
(ii) An expert explains to the farmer, how" the unaffected plants can be used to increase their number. Can you enumerate them?
(iii) Is there any method to recover disease-free plant from diseased ones.
(iv) What values are shown by the expert?
(i) Such plants have a gene or allele that gives them resistance to the particular fungal disease or they would have undergone mutation of the allele and become resistant to the fungal attack.
(ii) The seeds from the unaffected plants can be collected and grown in the field for one or two generations; selection can also be practised by growing the plants under conditions favourable for disease and select those plants which are resistant.
(iii) Yes, meristem culture is a method which can be used to recover disease-free plants from diseased ones.
(iv) Sharing his knowledge and ideas for the benefit of the society, his willingness to help someone in distress and concern for the fellow citizen are shown by the expert.