1. Pollination
Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther of one flower to the stigma of the same or
another flower. It is said to be the first process of sexual fertilization in flowering plants. Pollen grains
contain the male gamete and are present in the anthers of the flower.
Pollination can be of two types:
• Self- Pollination
• Cross-Pollination
Self-Pollination
When the pollen is transferred from the anthers of a flower to the stigma of the same flower, it is called
as self- pollination. This form of pollination is common in hermaphrodite or dioecious plants which
contain both male and female sexual parts on the same flower.
Self – pollination can be further divided into two types:
• Autogamy– In this type of self-pollination, the pollen is transferred from the anthers of one
flower to the stigma of the same flower.
• Geitonogamy– In this type of self- pollination, the anthers are transferred from the anthers of
one flower to the stigma of another flower but on the same plant.
Advantages of self – pollination
• In self- pollination, there is no diversity in the genes and therefore the purity of the race is
maintained.
• The plants do not depend on external factors for pollination and even smaller quantities of
pollen grains produce have a good success rate in getting pollinated.
• Self- pollination ensures seed production in some plants(e.g. Oxalis) when cross pollination
fails to produce seeds.
• Self-pollination also eliminates some bad characters through death when their factor become
homozygous.
Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther of one flower to the stigma of the same or
another flower. It is said to be the first process of sexual fertilization in flowering plants. Pollen grains
contain the male gamete and are present in the anthers of the flower.
Pollination can be of two types:
• Self- Pollination
• Cross-Pollination
Self-Pollination
When the pollen is transferred from the anthers of a flower to the stigma of the same flower, it is called
as self- pollination. This form of pollination is common in hermaphrodite or dioecious plants which
contain both male and female sexual parts on the same flower.
Self – pollination can be further divided into two types:
• Autogamy– In this type of self-pollination, the pollen is transferred from the anthers of one
flower to the stigma of the same flower.
• Geitonogamy– In this type of self- pollination, the anthers are transferred from the anthers of
one flower to the stigma of another flower but on the same plant.
Advantages of self – pollination
• In self- pollination, there is no diversity in the genes and therefore the purity of the race is
maintained.
• The plants do not depend on external factors for pollination and even smaller quantities of
pollen grains produce have a good success rate in getting pollinated.
• Self- pollination ensures seed production in some plants(e.g. Oxalis) when cross pollination
fails to produce seeds.
• Self-pollination also eliminates some bad characters through death when their factor become
homozygous.
