The correct combination is (2) B and C.

Statement analysis

(A) “Plants incapable of sexual reproduction cannot be transformed by Agrobacterium tumefaciens.” – Incorrect

• Agrobacterium transformation targets somatic cells and is routinely used with many vegetatively propagated or sterile species (e.g., some ornamentals, tree clones, banana).

• Sexual reproduction is not required for transformation itself; it is only needed if Mendelian segregation or breeding is desired later.

• Therefore A is false.

(B) “Integration of transgene in organellar (chloroplast) genome occurs primarily by homologous recombination.” – Correct

• Chloroplast transformation vectors are designed with plastid DNA flanking sequences, and integration occurs through double homologous recombination between these flanks and the plastome.​

• Random insertion is rare; targeted HR is the main mechanism in plastids.

• So B is true.

(C) “An enhancer trap construct used in Agrobacterium-mediated transformation would contain a functional coding sequence of a reporter gene and a minimal promoter.” – Correct

• Enhancer traps carry a reporter gene (e.g., GUS, GFP) driven by a minimal promoter (typically only TATA and start site) that is too weak alone but can be activated by nearby genomic enhancers at the insertion site.​

• That is exactly the design described, so C is true.

(D) “A T₀ transgenic plant containing two unlinked copies of a selection marker gene (hpt) and one copy of the passenger gene (gfp) would segregate in a 1:1 ratio for hygromycin resistance:sensitivity in the backcrossed progeny grown on selection media.” – Incorrect

Let the two unlinked hpt loci be H₁/h₁ and H₂/h₂, and assume the T₀ plant is H₁h₁ H₂h₂, backcrossed to wild type h₁h₁ h₂h₂.

• Gametes from T₀: H₁H₂, H₁h₂, h₁H₂, h₁h₂ (¼ each).

• All except h₁h₂ carry at least one H and therefore are hygromycin resistant.

• Backcross progeny:

  • Resistant: 3/4

  • Sensitive: 1/4

So segregation for hygromycin resistance : sensitivity is 3 : 1, not 1 : 1. D is therefore false.​

Evaluating options

• (1) A and D – both are false, but this option does not include B and C, which are the true statements requested.

• (2) B and C – exactly the two correct statements.

• (3) A and C – includes A, which is false.

• (4) B and D – includes D, which is false.

Thus, the correct answer is option (2) B and C.