This genetic tool, called Apomixis, could enable agricultural scientists to adapt plants to the environment rather than the current practice of adapting the environment to the plants through intensive agricultural practices. In contrast to today's hybrid technologies, this technique would make grain and seed the same once again, restoring farmers to their role as innovators.

Says Dr H C Lohitaswa, an agricultural scientist associated with the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, ``The introduction of this trait in crop plants would perhaps herald the greatest change in agricultural practice ever since Norman Borlaug invented the high yielding variety ofwheat.''

Explains G C Gangadhara, Lohitaswa's research associate, ``Plant reproduction occurs by complex and diverse mechanisms. Sexual reproduction is most common in flowering plants of agricultural importance. Male and female gametes (the pollen and egg cells) are separately produced with half the chromosome number. These combine during fertilisation and develop to give rise to a seed.''

``This seed contains genes derived from both parents in a form that is distinct from both parents so that once the seed germinates, a plant of unique genetic constitution is generated,'' he adds. By contrast, Apomixis produces seeds through asexual processes. The genetic make-up of the seeds is identical to that of the mother plant. If the mother plant is well adapted to a particular environment or purpose so will be the offspring, explains Lohitaswa.

The potential impacts of Apoximis are many. The process will allow the preparation of almost limitless numbers of hybrid cultivars from newly apomictic crop species,thus greatly expanding the diversity of genetic resources and providing the benefits of hybrid vigour to numerous crops that never enjoyed them before.

Apoximis also makes possible the maintenance of heterogeneous genotypes, including those made through wide crosses, opening up completely new breeding strategies and methods in both sexual and vegetatively propagated crops. Says Lohitaswa, ``Plant breeding could thus become responsive to micro-environments, cropping conditions, pathogen or pest populations, and markets. This, in turn, could stimulate diverse strategies for agro-ecosystem management and optimisation.''

According to the scientists, this could in effect encourage ``boutique breeding'' of crops to suit the environment, since a single well-adapted plant, which is chosen for its performance in a micro-environment could directly give rise to a successful cultivar.

Another great advantage of using this technique will be the propagation of hybrid seed directly by the farmer. Seeds from anapomictic hybrid do not lose its genetic make-up through sexual crossing, and thus will breed true. Seed obtained from a conventional -- sexual -- hybrid does not give rise to the same genotype or performances as the parent plant, obliging the farmer to purchase new hybrid seeds for each planting. The most immediate application of this technique could be in crops such as cassava, potato, sweet potato and yams, which are currently vegetatively cultivated. Apomixis could reduce the occurrence of disease, result in substantial increase in germ plasm and, most important, be adapted to more and diverse growing regions. Points out Gangadhara, ``Apomixis will virtually eliminate crop losses related to the mechanics of sexual reproduction, such as failure of pollination or fertilisation.'' This, incidentally, constitutes a major cause of unpredictable reductions in crop yield and reliability.

Adds Lohitaswa, ``Apoximis will also lead to substantial increases in yields in some crops due to photosyntheticavailability through the elimination of male flowers or flower parts.''

The list of possible impacts is so striking that Apoximis, if developed, will achieve miracles for a broad and diverse group of users, particularly those who have invested in agricultural products such as seeds.

This is especially true in the less developed nations of the world, which are struggling with the problem of reconciling their desperate needs for enhancement of agricultural production and with an increasing population.