Which breeding technology utilizes gene banking?

• A. In Vitro Fertilization
• B. Hybridization
• C. Cloning
• D. Selective Breeding

Answer: (C)

Gene banking means preserving genetic material—such as sperm, embryos, or somatic cells—for future use. Cloning directly relies on that banked material to produce a genetically identical copy of an animal. By transferring the nucleus from a banked cell into an egg cell, a clone can be produced that carries the same genetic information as the stored donor. This makes cloning the breeding technology that most clearly utilizes gene banking, since the stored material is the essential starting point for creating the clone. Other methods, like fertilizing eggs with sperm (which can use fresh or stored gametes) or crossing breeds, involve reproduction or selection but do not center on using banked genetic material to make identical copies.