HETEROSIS Meaning and
Definition
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Heterosis, also known as hybrid vigor or outbreeding enhancement, is a biological phenomenon in which the progeny (offspring) of individuals from different populations or breeds exhibit superior traits compared to both of their parents. It is commonly observed in plants and animals and is characterized by increased growth rate, performance, fertility, and overall fitness.
Heterosis occurs due to the combination and interaction of alleles from genetically diverse parents. The genetic variation introduced through cross-breeding leads to the masking or suppression of detrimental or recessive alleles, helping the hybrid offspring overcome inbreeding depression and exhibit enhanced phenotypic traits.
In plants, heterosis is observed in agricultural crops, wherein hybrid varieties are bred to possess desirable traits such as disease resistance, increased yield, and improved quality. These hybrids often exhibit improved adaptability to various environmental conditions, which can lead to significant agricultural productivity gains.
In animals, heterosis is commonly seen in livestock breeding. Cross-breeding different breeds or populations of animals can lead to improved growth rates, increased fertility and production, as well as enhanced disease resistance and adaptability to different climates.
Heterosis plays a crucial role in various fields including agriculture, livestock production, and conservation biology. It offers a way to maximize desired traits and improve overall performance by utilizing the benefits of genetic diversity.
Common Misspellings for HETEROSIS
- geterosis
- beterosis
- neterosis
- jeterosis
- ueterosis
- yeterosis
- hwterosis
- hsterosis
- hdterosis
- hrterosis
- h4terosis
- h3terosis
- hererosis
- heferosis
- hegerosis
- heyerosis
- he6erosis
- he5erosis
- hetwrosis
- leterosis
Etymology of HETEROSIS
The word "heterosis" is derived from the combination of two Greek roots: "hetero", meaning "different" or "other", and "osis", meaning "condition" or "state". In the field of genetics and biology, heterosis refers to the phenomenon where the offspring of two different individuals or breeds exhibit enhanced or superior qualities compared to their parents, also known as hybrid vigor. The term was coined in the early 20th century by horticulturist George Harrison Shull, who studied the benefits of crossbreeding in plants.
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