'Pomato' is an example of:
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 4
The correct answer is Option (4) → Somatic hybrids
Option (4) Somatic hybrids — Correct. Pomato was made by fusing protoplasts of tomato and potato, whose cell walls had been digested. Plants made from such fused protoplasts are somatic hybrids, and the process is somatic hybridisation.
NCERT Extract:
Biotechnological Applications in Agriculture – “… Scientists have even isolated single cells from plants and after digesting their cell walls have been able to isolate naked protoplasts (surrounded by plasma membranes). Isolated protoplasts from two different varieties of plants – each having a desirable character – can be fused to get hybrid protoplasts, which can be further grown to form a new plant. These hybrids are called somatic hybrids while the process is called somatic hybridisation. Imagine a situation when a protoplast of tomato is fused with that of potato, and then they are grown – to form new hybrid plants combining tomato and potato characteristics. Well, this has been achieved – resulting in formation of pomato; unfortunately this plant did not have all the desired combination of characteristics for its commercial utilisation.”