Assertion: Wild varieties of crop plants must be conserved.
Reasoning:: Genome of wild plants serve as important resource for selection of desired genes like genes for pest resistance.
Reasoning:: Genome of wild plants serve as important resource for selection of desired genes like genes for pest resistance.
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 1
Plant breeding involves selection of parents with desired characters, their crossing and selection of hybrid progeny with desired character. Wild varieties of crop plants have better resistance to insects, pests, diseases, etc. During plant breeding these wild varieties serve as germplasm resource where genes for disease resistance, etc., can be searched and selected. The wild varities with desired character can be crossed with crop plants to obtain desired set of characters in the progeny. Therefore, wild varieties of crop plants must be conserved, otherwise large amount of germplasm will be lost.