Although the Ti plasmid has revolutionised plant genetic engineering one limitation of its use is that it

Options

A. Cannot infect broad leaf plants
B. Cannot be used on fruits-bearing plants
C. Cannot be used on fruits-bearing plants
D. Does not infect cereal plants such as corn and rice

Answer

**Step-by-Step Text Solution:**

1. **Understanding Ti Plasmid**: The Ti plasmid (Tumor-inducing plasmid) is a key tool in plant genetic engineering derived from the bacterium Agrobacterium tumefaciens. It is primarily used to transfer genes into plant cells.

2. **Target Plants**: Ti plasmids are particularly effective in infecting dicotyledonous plants (dicots), which are plants that have two seed leaves. Examples include beans, tomatoes, and other broadleaf plants.

3. **Limitations of Ti Plasmid**: One significant limitation of the Ti plasmid is its inability to infect monocotyledonous plants (monocots), which include cereals like corn and rice.

4. **Mechanism of Infection**: The mechanism of infection involves the detection of certain substances released by wounded dicot plants, specifically acetosyringone. This substance attracts Agrobacterium, allowing the Ti plasmid to enter the plant cells.

5. **Monocots vs. Dicots**: In monocots, such as corn and rice, the wound response does not involve the release of acetosyringone. Therefore, the Ti plasmid cannot recognize or infect these plants.

6. **Conclusion**: Based on the above points, the correct answer to the question is that the Ti plasmid does not infect cereal plants such as corn and rice.

**Final Answer**: The limitation of the Ti plasmid is that it does not infect cereal plants such as corn and rice.

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