First man-made cereal Triticale is

Options

A. (a) Diploid
B. (b) Hexaploid
C. (c) Octaploid
D. (d) Both B and C.

Answer

**Step-by-Step Solution:**

1. **Identify the Question**: The question asks for the ploidy level of the first man-made cereal known as triticale.

2. **Understand the Parent Plants**: Triticale is a hybrid cereal created from two parent plants: durum wheat (Triticum durum) and rye (Secale cereale).

3. **Determine the Ploidy of Parent Plants**:
- Durum wheat (Triticum durum) is tetraploid, meaning it has 4 sets of chromosomes (2n = 4x).
- Rye (Secale cereale) is diploid, meaning it has 2 sets of chromosomes (2n = 2x).

4. **Gametes Formation**: When these two plants hybridize, the gametes from durum wheat (2x) and rye (x) combine to form a hybrid that is triploid (3x). However, this hybrid is typically sterile.

5. **Chromosome Doubling**: To create a fertile hybrid, chromosome doubling is necessary. This is achieved using a chemical agent called colchicine, which halts cell division during metaphase, allowing for the doubling of chromosomes.

6. **Final Ploidy of Triticale**: After chromosome doubling, the resulting mature plant of triticale is hexaploid, meaning it has 6 sets of chromosomes (2n = 6x).

7. **Conclusion**: Therefore, the correct answer to the question regarding the ploidy of triticale is hexaploidy (6x).

**Final Answer**: The ploidy of the first man-made cereal triticale is hexaploidy (6x).

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