Hybrids

• A hybrid in biology refers to the offspring of two different variations of organisms. The offspring may be the produce of two different species but may also be the product of the same species. The offspring of two different organisms is only viable if the parents have relatively similar DNA. If the DNA is not compatible, then the offspring may develop serious health problems, or the seed may not fertilize at all.
  
  

Inheritance

• Hybridization is predicated upon the laws of inheritance as derived by Gregor Mendel. When a gene is inherited by an offspring, there is a dominant and recessive version. It takes two recessive copies to make a recessive trait appear but only one dominant to do the opposite. Mendel leveraged this knowledge to his advantage and was able to predict the traits of the offspring.
  
  

Crop Hybridization

• Corn hybridization, the act of crossing two strains of corn to get a higher yield and stronger plant, became widespread in the early 20th century. The first commercial seed company to hybridize corn was Pioneer Hi-Breds in 1926. By the end of the 1930s, it became an entire industry. Two hybrids could also be "double crossed" to produce even more hybrids. The practice of double crossing lasted until the 1960s when scientists could get better results from a single cross.
  
  

Biotechnology

• With the emergence of genetics and gene splicing as a viable endeavor, traditional means of hybridization have given way to biotechnology. Scientists can now introduce desirable traits directly into the genome. For instance, DNA that confers an advantage against pests or herbicides can improve the crop's yield. Exogenous DNA is any piece of DNA that originated from outside the organism.
  
  

Other Advantages

• Hybridization has many other advantages in fruits and vegetables. It can produce seedless fruits or entirely new variations with different tastes and flavors. Tomatoes can be developed to stay firm after ripening so that they do not bruise during shipment. Greater resistance to cold is also another possible effect. These techniques to produce new variations of crops have great plasticity to adapt to different circumstances.