Question

What is heterosis?What role has it played in crop productivity?

Answer 1

Offspring produced by crossing the parents with different characters. An offspring exhibits heterosis if its traits are enhanced as a result of mixing the genetic contributions of its parents.

Crosses between inbreeds form different heterotic groups result in vigorous F1 hybrids with significantly more heterosis than F1n hybrids from inbreeds within the same heterotic group or pattern. Heterotic groups are created by plant breeders to classify inbred lines, and can be progressively improved by reciprocal recurrent selection.