Which of the following is an advantage of cross fertilization?

Answer Details

Cross fertilization (also called cross-pollination in plants or outbreeding in animals) involves the fusion of gametes from two genetically different individuals of the same species. Its primary advantage is that it increases genetic variation in the offspring, which leads to the production of healthier, more vigorous individuals.

This occurs because cross fertilization brings together different alleles from two parents, increasing heterozygosity. Heterozygous individuals are less likely to express harmful recessive traits, a phenomenon known as hybrid vigour (heterosis). The resulting offspring tend to be more resistant to diseases, better adapted to environmental changes, and generally more robust.

The other options describe disadvantages or consequences of self-fertilization (inbreeding), not cross fertilization:

• Inbreeding depression is a reduction in fitness caused by repeated self-fertilization, which increases homozygosity and the expression of deleterious recessive alleles.
• Production of weak offspring is likewise a consequence of inbreeding, not outbreeding.
• While cross-fertilized offspring may occasionally be less adapted to a very specific local environment (because they carry new allele combinations), this is a potential trade-off, not an advantage.

For examinations, remember: cross fertilization promotes genetic diversity, hybrid vigour, and healthier offspring, while self-fertilization risks inbreeding depression.