Consider the following statements:

DNA Barcoding can be a tool to:

Which of the statements given above is/are correct?

(a) 1 only

(b) 3 only

(d) 2 and 3

Explanation

The correct answer is option (d) – 2 and 3.

The key points are:

DNA barcoding is a method of species identification using a short section of DNA from a specific gene or genes.
It can be used to:
- Distinguish among species that look alike. This supports statement 2.
- Identify undesirable animal or plant materials in processed foods. This supports statement 3.
It cannot assess the age of a plant or animal. Hence statement 1 is incorrect.

So statements 2 and 3 are correct.

Here are some additional details on DNA barcoding:

Common DNA barcode markers:
- COI gene for animals
- rbcL and matK genes for plants
- ITS region for fungi
Applications of DNA barcoding:
- Species identification
- Detecting fraud and adulteration in food
- Monitoring biodiversity
- Forensic investigations
- Understanding ecology and evolution
Advantages:
- Fast, cheap, and accurate identification
- Can identify any life stage or processed material
- Useful for cryptic species that look alike
Limitations:
- Overlap between intra- and interspecific variation
- Cannot reliably identify hybrids
- Incomplete reference databases
- Only identifies to species, not lower taxonomic levels