Hyderabad: Scientists at the city-based Centre for Cellular and Molecular Biology are working on the Apomixis method of seed production. Apomixis results to the formation of asexual seeds in plants that leads to uniform genetic population. This will help in improving production and eliminate spurious seeds. Farmers need not buy new hybrid seed for every crop planting season.
CCMB scientists led by Dr Imran Siddiqi who have been conducting research on this have got excellent results in plant breeding.
CCMB director Dr Rakesh Mishra said, “Farmers need not buy seeds from seed companies but can have choice seeds from their own farms which of the same quality and productivity as their crop as the offspring are genetically identical to the mother plant.”
The Apomixis phenomenon naturally occurs in certain plants like Kentucky Blue-grass. Scientists say that this would help farmers to save the seeds from hybrid plants but still conserve the superior yields.
The CCMB said “Dr Siddiqi’s research grou-p worked on Meiosis and germ cell formation. In plants Meiosis acts as a transition between the two generations. The analysis of plant meiosis is of central importance in understanding early stages of plant reproductive development.”
