Which term refers to the breeding of plants and animals to produce desirable traits?

• A. Natural Selection
• B. Artificial Selection
• C. Variation of Traits
• D. Genes

Answer: (B)

Breeding plants and animals to bring out traits people find desirable is called artificial selection. In this process, humans choose which individuals reproduce based on specific traits—such as larger fruit, better flavor, sweeter taste, specific colors, or disease resistance—and mate them to enhance those traits over generations. This deliberate selection changes which traits become more common in a population because the chosen traits contribute to reproductive success under human guidance.

Natural selection is similar in that it changes trait frequencies over time, but it happens without human input; traits that help survival and reproduction in the natural environment become more common. Variation of traits refers to the differences among individuals, which makes selection possible, while genes are the units of heredity that carry those traits. But the act of purposely breeding for desirable outcomes is the hallmark of artificial selection.