What is the purpose of emasculation in artificial hybridization?

To protect the stigma from contamination

The correct answer is Option (1) - To protect the stigma from contamination

The purpose of emasculation in artificial hybridization is to protect the stigma from contamination.

By removing the anthers, which are the male reproductive organs responsible for producing pollen, emasculation ensures that the stigma of the female parent remains free from unwanted pollen. This prevents the risk of cross-pollination from other sources, which could introduce genetic material that is not desired in the hybridization process.

Emasculation is particularly important when the female parent bears bisexual flowers, which have both male and female reproductive structures in the same flower. By removing the anthers, the male reproductive organs, the stigma is safeguarded from potential contamination by its own pollen or pollen from other flowers of the same plant.

By protecting the stigma from contamination, emasculation allows for controlled pollination using only the desired pollen grains, typically collected from the male parent plant. This ensures that the desired genetic traits are introduced and that the resulting offspring exhibit the desired characteristics.

In summary, the purpose of emasculation in artificial hybridization is to protect the stigma from contamination by removing the anthers and preventing unwanted pollen from reaching the stigma. This helps ensure controlled pollination and increases the chances of obtaining the desired traits in the offspring.