A random mutation in a cotton plant caused it to produce double the amount of cotton bolls. The extra amount of cotton produced is a desirable trait. Which statement best describes what the cotton farmer should do to increase the chances that new cotton plants exhibit this trait?

A

The cotton farmer should let the cotton plant grow larger.

B

The cotton farmer should dig up the cotton plant and plant it next to different cotton plants.

C

The cotton farmer should breed the cotton plant with this trait to other cotton plants to produce offspring with this trait.

D

The cotton farmer should dig up all his cotton plants and replace them with seeds from the mutated cotton plant.

The correct option is C. The cotton farmer should breed the cotton plant with this trait to other cotton plants to produce offspring with this trait.

Explanation:

Selective breeding is a process through which plants and animals with desired qualities are bred together to get offsprings with the desired traits. This process has been used over many years by farmers to get the best livestock animals and to produce favourable varieties of crops.

Hence, the farmer should breed the mutated cotton plants with the normal cotton plants so that this characteristic can be acquired by the offsprings. Selective breeding will let this quality be passed on to generations after generations.