Pomato was produced by fusing protoplasts of
Pomato was produced by fusing protoplasts of
Options
Official answer
Correct option: A — Tomato and Potato
Pomato is a somatic hybrid produced by fusing the protoplasts of tomato and potato.
- The name itself is a blend: Po(tato) + (to)mato.
- It was created by somatic hybridisation but did not have all desired commercial traits.
Marking scheme
- 1.1 mark: correct option A (Tomato and Potato).
- 2.Full mark for the correct choice only.
Hint
Read the name as a blend of two vegetables: potato + tomato.
Quick oral answer
Pomato is a somatic hybrid made by fusing the protoplasts of potato and tomato — the name itself is a blend of the two.
Common mistakes
- 1.Linking 'pomato' with pomegranate and choosing an option containing it.
- 2.Selecting the three-parent option — pomato is a hybrid of only two plants.
- 3.Confusing somatic hybridisation with sexual hybridisation; pomato is made by protoplast fusion, not a normal cross.
Analysis and explanation
Concept
Somatic hybridisation is the fusion of naked protoplasts (cells stripped of their walls) from two different plants, followed by regeneration of a hybrid plant. It allows combining of genomes that cannot be crossed sexually.
Why A is correct
- Pomato was obtained by fusing the protoplasts of tomato and potato, producing a plant that theoretically could bear tomatoes above and potatoes below. It is the textbook example of a somatic hybrid.
Why the distractors are wrong
- B, C, D all include pomegranate, which has nothing to do with pomato. Pomegranate is not a parent, so any option containing it is incorrect.
- The name is a portmanteau of Potato and tomato only — a two-parent hybrid, so the three-parent option (D) is also wrong.
Exam trap
The distractors exploit the false link between "pomato" and "pomegranate." Decode the name: potato + tomato.
Interesting facts
Pomato was created by fusing tomato and potato protoplasts, but it never became commercially viable because it lacked the desired combination of useful traits.
Protoplasts for such fusion are prepared by digesting the cell wall with enzymes like cellulase and pectinase.
Question details
Q5 of 37 questions
- Board
- CBSE
- Class
- Class 12
- Subject
- Biology
- Year
- 2026
- Section
- Section A
- Marks
- 1
- Type
- MCQ
- Chapter
- Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production
- Topic
- Somatic Hybridization — Pomato
- Bloom's level
- remember
- Syllabus topic
- Unit IX: Biotechnology and its Applications — Strategies for Enhancement in Food Production: Tissue Culture and Somatic Hybridisation
- Author
- CBSE
- Reviewed by
- Padhantu Academic Team
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Frequently asked questions
What is pomato and how was it made?
Pomato is a somatic hybrid plant produced by fusing the isolated protoplasts of tomato and potato and then regenerating a whole plant. It is a classic example of somatic hybridisation, though it was not commercially successful.
What is somatic hybridisation?
Somatic hybridisation is a tissue-culture technique in which naked protoplasts from two different plant species are fused and cultured to regenerate a hybrid plant, combining genomes that cannot be brought together by sexual crossing.