Explain the steps involved in hybridization.

Explanation

(1) Selection of Parents: Male and female plants of the desired characters are selected It should be tested for their homozygosity.
(2) Emasculation: It is a process of removal of anthers to prevent self pollination before anthesis (period of opening of a flower).
(3) Bagging: The stigma of the flower is protected against any undesirable pollen grains, by covering it with a bag.
(4) Crossing: Transfer of pollen grains from selected male flower to the stigma of the female emasculated flower.
(5) Harvesting seeds and raising plants: The pollination leads to fertilization and finally seed formation takes place. The seeds are grown into new generation which are called hybrid.