Botany is where NEET aspirants lose marks quietly, usually because plant physiology and morphology get less revision time than human physiology. This set covers plant morphology and anatomy, cell structure, plant physiology, reproduction in flowering plants, genetics, and ecology and environment. Diagram based questions are included because the paper leans on them more than most students expect.
Which of the following is the most commonly used vector for plant genetic engineering?
Answer: A
Agrobacterium tumefaciens is the natural genetic engineer of plants. Its Ti plasmid is widely used for transferring foreign DNA into plant cells.
Q.2Easy
What is the full form of ELISA in the context of plant biotechnology?
Answer: A
ELISA (Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay) is a technique used to detect pathogens and transgenes in plants.
Q.3Easy
Bt cotton is transgenic cotton resistant to which pest?
Answer: B
Bt cotton produces Cry1Ac protein from Bacillus thuringiensis that provides resistance against the cotton bollworm (Helicoverpa armigera).
Q.4Easy
Which enzyme is used to cut DNA at specific recognition sequences during genetic engineering?
Answer: B
Restriction endonucleases (restriction enzymes) recognize and cut DNA at specific palindromic sequences, essential for cloning.
Q.5Medium
Which of the following crops is NOT approved for cultivation as Bt transgenic in India?
Answer: D
As of 2024-25, only Bt Cotton is commercially cultivated in India. Bt Brinjal has regulatory issues, and Bt Rice/Maize are not approved yet.
Q.6Easy
What is the role of selectable markers in plant genetic engineering?
Answer: A
Selectable markers (like antibiotic resistance genes) help identify and select successfully transformed plant cells from non-transformed ones.
Q.7Medium
Which method of plant genetic engineering does not require a vector?
Answer: D
Both microprojectile bombardment (gene gun) and electroporation are direct DNA delivery methods that don't require a biological vector.
Q.8Medium
Golden Rice is transgenic rice enriched with which nutrient?
Answer: C
Golden Rice contains genes for beta-carotene production, making it rich in Vitamin A, addressing nutritional deficiency in rice-consuming populations.
Q.9Medium
What is the primary purpose of callus tissue in plant biotechnology?
Answer: B
Callus is undifferentiated plant tissue used in micropropagation and plant regeneration through somatic embryogenesis or organogenesis.
Q.10Medium
Which hormone ratio favors shoot formation in plant tissue culture?
Answer: B
A low auxin to high cytokinin ratio promotes shoot formation, while the opposite (high auxin : low cytokinin) promotes root formation.
Q.11Medium
Which of the following is a somaclone?
Answer: B
Somaclones are plants regenerated from somatic cells via tissue culture, genetically identical to the parent plant unless mutations occur.
Q.12Medium
What is the significance of the T-DNA in Agrobacterium tumefaciens?
Answer: B
T-DNA (Transfer DNA) is the specific segment of the Ti plasmid that integrates into the plant genome during Agrobacterium-mediated transformation.
Q.13Hard
Which of the following traits cannot be introduced into plants through Bt technology?
Answer: C
Bt technology specifically transfers bacterial genes for insecticidal proteins. Drought resistance requires different genes and mechanisms.
Q.14Hard
What is the concern associated with widespread cultivation of Bt crops?
Answer: B
Repeated exposure to Bt toxin can lead to the evolution of resistant insect populations, a major concern in sustainable agriculture.
Q.15Hard
Which technique is used to confirm the integration of foreign DNA into plant genome?
Answer: B
Southern blotting detects integrated DNA sequences in the plant genome, confirming stable genetic transformation.
Q.16Medium
What is a marker-assisted selection (MAS) in plant breeding?
Answer: B
MAS uses molecular markers (DNA sequences) to identify and select plants carrying desired genes without waiting for phenotypic expression.
Q.17Easy
Which of the following is an example of a genetically modified crop approved in India as of 2024?
Answer: B
Bt Cotton is the only GM crop commercially cultivated and approved in India since 2002, with extensive adoption across states.
Q.18Hard
What is the main advantage of using somatic embryogenesis over organogenesis in plant tissue culture?
Answer: B
Somatic embryogenesis produces complete plants directly from embryos, ensuring genetic fidelity better than organogenesis which may show variations.
Q.19Medium
Which regulatory body in India approves genetically modified crops?
Answer: B
The GEAC under the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change approves GM crops in India after safety and efficacy assessment.
Q.20Medium
Bt cotton produces Cry1Ac protein that is toxic to lepidopteran insects. Which of the following statements correctly describes the mechanism of toxin action?
Answer: A
Cry proteins from Bacillus thuringiensis work by binding to specific receptors in the alkaline midgut of susceptible insects, forming pores that lead to cell lysis and death. This is the well-established mechanism of Bt toxin action, making it selective for certain insect orders.
