A farmer sows seeds collected from his high-yielding hybrid crop to raise the next generation of plants. However, he observes that the new plants have lost their high yield and other desired traits. Which of the following biological phenomena, if introduced into the hybrid crop, would prevent this loss of traits in subsequent generations?

Step-by-step solution

Sowing seeds collected from hybrid plants normally leads to the segregation of traits due to meiosis and fertilization during sexual reproduction, causing a loss of hybrid vigor. Apomixis is a form of asexual reproduction that mimics sexual reproduction by producing seeds without fertilization. If apomixis is introduced into hybrid crops, there will be no segregation of characters, and the exact maternal genotype (hybrid vigor) will be maintained in the progeny. Parthenocarpy is the production of seedless fruits. P