What is the process of hybridization aimed at achieving?

The process of hybridization is primarily aimed at crossing dissimilar individuals to combine desirable traits. This practice is utilized to create offspring that exhibit specific characteristics from both parental lines, often enhancing certain qualities such as growth rates, disease resistance, or yield in plants and animals. The goal is to produce hybrids that possess optimal traits that may not be present in either parent alone, thereby improving agricultural productivity or other beneficial characteristics.

In contrast, cloning focuses on producing genetically identical organisms through methods like somatic cell nuclear transfer, which does not involve hybridization. Creating genetically identical organisms does not aim for the combination of different traits from varied sources but rather replicates an existing genetic makeup.

Enhancing the longevity of existing species refers to efforts such as conservation or breeding programs targeted at maintaining genetic diversity or improving the health of populations, rather than specifically mixing different individuals for trait improvement.