4.1.7

Pollination

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Pollination

Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the male anther to the female stigma. Pollination can happen in different ways:

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Self-pollination

  • Self pollination happens when pollen from an anther is transferred to the stigma of the same flower, or a different flower on the same plant.
  • The offspring produced are identical to the parent plant, so a disadvantage of this is a lack of genetic variation in the offspring.
  • An advantage of this is that if a plant is not able to reproduce by cross-pollination (for example there are no pollinators nearby), they can still reproduce through self-pollination.
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Cross-pollination

  • Cross-pollination is the transfer of pollen from the anthers of one flower to the stigma of a flower on a different plant.
  • This introduces genetic variation into the offspring, so they are more able to respond to environmental changes.
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Fertilisation

  • After pollination, a structure called a pollen tube grows out of the pollen grain down the style.
  • The male gamete travels down the pollen tube to the ovule inside the ovary.
  • Fertilisation is when the nucleus of a male gamete fuses with the nucleus of a female gamete (the ovule).

Jump to other topics

1The Nature & Variety of Living Organisms

2Structure & Functions in Living Organisms

3Organism Functions

3.1Respiration

3.2Gas Exchange

3.3Transport

3.4Excretion

3.5Coordination & Response

4Reproduction & Inheritance

5Ecology

6Biological Resources

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