What are hybrids? briefly describe their production and importance in boosting animal and crop productions.
- Hybrid is the result of interbreeding between two animals or plants of different taxa. Hybrids between different species within the same genus are sometimes known as interspecific hybrids or crosses.
- Hybrid animals were created to enhance the characteristics of the breed by combining the beneficial characters of two breeds. For example, the mule was the combination of horse and donkey which enhanced the mule to have more strength of the horse and endurance and footedness of the donkey.
- Hybrid plants were chosen to improve the characters of the plants such as better yield, greater uniformity, improved colour, disease resistance. For example, the Bt cotton which was modified pest-resistant plant cotton variety, which produces an insecticide to bollworm.