With reference to agriculture in India, how can the technique of `genome sequencing’, often seen in the news, be used in the immediate future?
- Genome sequencing can be used to identify genetic markers for disease resistance and drought tolerance in various crop plants.
- This technique helps in reducing the time required to develop new varieties of crop plants.
- It can be used to decipher the host-pathogen relationships in crops.
Select the correct answer using the code given below:
- 1 only
- 2 and 3 only
- 1 and 3 only
- 1, 2 and 3
Explanation
Statement 1 is correct
- A genome is the DNA, or sequence of genes, in a cell.
- Most of the DNA is in the nucleus and intricately coiled into a structure called the chromosome.
- The rest is in the mitochondria, the cell’s powerhouse, and some is chloroplast DNA.
- Every human cell contains a pair of chromosomes, each of which has three billion base pairs or one of four molecules – adenine (A), thymine (T), guanine (G), and cytosine (C) – that pair in precise ways.
- The order of base pairs & varying lengths of these sequences constitutes the “genes”.
- Genes are responsible for making amino acids, proteins and, thereby, everything that is necessary for the body to function.
- Sequencing a genome means deciphering the exact order of base pairs in an individual. This “deciphering” or reading of the genome is what sequencing is all about.
- In this particular piece of DNA, an adenine (A) is followed by a guanine (G), which is followed by a thymine (T), which in turn is followed by a cytosine (C), another cytosine (C), and so on.
- Genome sequencing allows scientists to map out the entire genetic structure of crops. By analysing the genetic information, researchers can identify specific genetic markers linked to desirable traits such as disease resistance and drought tolerance. This helps in breeding programs where crops with these traits can be selectively bred, ultimately leading to the development of more resilient crop varieties suitable for changing environmental conditions.
Statement 2 is correct
- By identifying specific genes responsible for desired traits, scientists can create targeted breeding strategies, significantly reducing the time required to develop and introduce new crop varieties with improved traits like yield, pest resistance, or climate resilience.
Statement 3 is correct
- It helps decode the genetic response of both the host (crop) and the pathogen. This understanding can lead to the identification of genetic traits that make crops vulnerable to diseases, enabling researchers to develop strategies to strengthen disease resistance or even modify the crops genetically to withstand infections,
