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Selective breeding and tissue culture: Edexcel GCSE Biology questions

Every Edexcel GCSE Biology exam question on Selective breeding and tissue culture (specification points 4.8–4.9), 2018–2025, with its mark scheme and examiner’s report.

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1,834 questions

  1. Q10(d)

    June 2025 · Paper 1 Higher

    4 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1 Higher, question 10(d): Describe how tissue culture is used to produce genetically identical plants. (4)

  2. Q4(b)(i)

    June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 4(b)(i): Complete the sentences using words from the box. (2) medicine zygotes generations kingdoms characteristics domains Selective breeding involves choosing parents

  3. Q4(b)(ii)

    June 2025 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2025 Paper 1 Foundation, question 4(b)(ii): Suggest one feature of a banana that could be improved by selective breeding. (1)

  4. Q4(a)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    3 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 4(a): Describe how selective breeding has produced chickens that lay large numbers of eggs. (3)

  5. Q7(a)(ii)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 7(a)(ii): Cancer cells can be grown in tissue culture. Give one disadvantage of testing drugs on these cancer cells. (1)

  6. Q7(b)(iii)

    June 2024 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2024 Paper 1 Foundation, question 7(b)(iii): Suggest one advantage of using tissue culture to conserve rare plants. (1)

  7. Q6(b)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Higher

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Higher, question 6(b): Describe how selective breeding can be used to produce a large population of animals that are not closely related. (2)

  8. Q2(b)(i)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Foundation, question 2(b)(i): Use words from the box to complete the sentences. (2) asexual characteristics evidence ideas inherited selective Animals with the most desirable were bred toget

  9. Q2(b)(iii)

    June 2023 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2023 Paper 1 Foundation, question 2(b)(iii): Give one advantage of domesticating animals. (1)

  10. Q5(d)

    June 2022 · Paper 1 Foundation

    3 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2022 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(d): Figure 11 shows the characteristics of three different varieties of this plant. characteristic plant K plant L plant M size of leaves small large small striped

  11. Q7(b)

    November 2021 · Paper 1 Higher

    3 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1 Higher, question 7(b): Describe how racehorses alive today have been selectively bred to run faster. (3)

  12. Q3(b)

    November 2021 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1 Foundation, question 3(b): Figure 4 shows some information about two types of cattle. survival in high type of cattle meat quality temperatures Brahman good poor Shorthorn poor good Figur

  13. Q3(c)

    November 2021 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2021 Paper 1 Foundation, question 3(c): Figure 5 shows the leaf of a wheat plant with a fungal disease. (Source: © Kazakov Maksim/Shutterstock) Figure 5 Give two benefits of breeding wheat plants that

  14. Q5(a)(i)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Foundation

    3 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(a)(i): Explain how farmers have used selective breeding to produce larger chickens. (3)

  15. Q5(a)(ii)

    November 2020 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    November 2020 Paper 1 Foundation, question 5(a)(ii): Describe one benefit and one risk of selectively breeding chickens. (2) benefit risk

  16. Q4(a)(i)

    June 2018 · Paper 1 Higher

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(a)(i): Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells. Name the process occurring as these cells develop into root cells. (1)

  17. Q4(a)(ii)

    June 2018 · Paper 1 Higher

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1 Higher, question 4(a)(ii): Describe the advantages of producing plants by the method shown in Figure 8. (2)

  18. Q9(b)

    June 2018 · Paper 1 Foundation

    6 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1 Foundation, question 9(b): Figure 14 shows two varieties of potato plant. flowers potatoes Variety A Variety B • large potatoes • small potatoes • few potatoes • many potatoes • slow grow

  19. Q10(a)(i)

    June 2018 · Paper 1 Foundation

    1 markSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10(a)(i): Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells. Name the process occurring as these cells develop into root cells. (1)

  20. Q10(a)(ii)

    June 2018 · Paper 1 Foundation

    2 marksSelective breeding and tissue culture
    The whole paper ↗
    June 2018 Paper 1 Foundation, question 10(a)(ii): Describe the advantages of producing plants by the method shown in Figure 15. (2)
All 22 questions on Selective breeding and tissue culture, as a list
  1. June 2025, Paper 1 Higher, Q10(d) (4 marks): Describe how tissue culture is used to produce genetically identical plants. (4)
  2. June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(i) (2 marks): Complete the sentences using words from the box. (2) medicine zygotes generations kingdoms characteristics domains Selective breeding involves choosing parents
  3. June 2025, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(b)(ii) (1 mark): Suggest one feature of a banana that could be improved by selective breeding. (1)
  4. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q4(a) (3 marks): Describe how selective breeding has produced chickens that lay large numbers of eggs. (3)
  5. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(a)(ii) (1 mark): Cancer cells can be grown in tissue culture. Give one disadvantage of testing drugs on these cancer cells. (1)
  6. June 2024, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b)(iii) (1 mark): Suggest one advantage of using tissue culture to conserve rare plants. (1)
  7. June 2023, Paper 1 Higher, Q6(b) (2 marks): Describe how selective breeding can be used to produce a large population of animals that are not closely related. (2)
  8. June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(b)(i) (2 marks): Use words from the box to complete the sentences. (2) asexual characteristics evidence ideas inherited selective Animals with the most desirable were bred toget
  9. June 2023, Paper 1 Foundation, Q2(b)(iii) (1 mark): Give one advantage of domesticating animals. (1)
  10. June 2022, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(d) (3 marks): Figure 11 shows the characteristics of three different varieties of this plant. characteristic plant K plant L plant M size of leaves small large small striped
  11. November 2021, Paper 1 Higher, Q7(b) (3 marks): Describe how racehorses alive today have been selectively bred to run faster. (3)
  12. November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(b) (2 marks): Figure 4 shows some information about two types of cattle. survival in high type of cattle meat quality temperatures Brahman good poor Shorthorn poor good Figur
  13. November 2021, Paper 1 Foundation, Q3(c) (2 marks): Figure 5 shows the leaf of a wheat plant with a fungal disease. (Source: © Kazakov Maksim/Shutterstock) Figure 5 Give two benefits of breeding wheat plants that
  14. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(i) (3 marks): Explain how farmers have used selective breeding to produce larger chickens. (3)
  15. November 2020, Paper 1 Foundation, Q5(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe one benefit and one risk of selectively breeding chickens. (2) benefit risk
  16. June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(a)(i) (1 mark): Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells. Name the process occurring as these cells develop into root cells. (1)
  17. June 2018, Paper 1 Higher, Q4(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe the advantages of producing plants by the method shown in Figure 8. (2)
  18. June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q9(b) (6 marks): Figure 14 shows two varieties of potato plant. flowers potatoes Variety A Variety B • large potatoes • small potatoes • few potatoes • many potatoes • slow grow
  19. June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(a)(i) (1 mark): Some cells in each plantlet develop into root cells. Name the process occurring as these cells develop into root cells. (1)
  20. June 2018, Paper 1 Foundation, Q10(a)(ii) (2 marks): Describe the advantages of producing plants by the method shown in Figure 15. (2)
  21. Specimen, Paper 1 Higher, Q1(b) (3 marks): The population of humans on Earth has increased significantly leading to food shortages. The growth of drought-resistant crop plants could lead to an increase i
  22. Specimen, Paper 1 Foundation, Q7(b) (3 marks): The population of humans on Earth has increased significantly, leading to food shortages. The growth of drought-resistant crop plants could lead to an increase

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