P o l l i n a t i o n , fert i l i s a t i o n and

Germination in Flowering plants

Parts of a flower
Reproductive
parts
There are sex cells in
 pollen grains (male cells)
 ovules (female cells)
By fertilization

 For fruits and seeds to form, male and

female sex cells must meet and
fuse.
 Since male and female sex cells are
involved, this is called “sexual
 reproduction”.
When the male cells meet with the
female cell, they join together…this is
called fertilization.
Pollination
Definition:
The transfer of pollen grains
from the anther to the stigma of
a flower.
 Pollen grains are immobile. They
cannot reach the stigma by
themselves. An external agent is
required for this. It can be wind,
water, animal or insects.
Pollination

Two types of pollination

 Self-pollination

 Cross-pollination
Pollination

Self-pollination
Transfer of pollen grains within one flower:
 One flower.
 Pollen grains from the anther are
transferred onto the stigma.
 ADVANTAGES & DISADVANTAGES
Advantages of self Pollination: Disadvantages of self
Pollination:
1. It maintains the parental
characters 1. New useful characters are
or purity of the race indefinitely. seldom introduced.
2. Self pollination is used to 2. Immunity to diseases
maintain decreases.
pure lines for hybridization 3. adaptability to changed
experiments. environment are reduced.
3. The plant does not need to
produce large number of pollen
grains.
4. Flowers do not develop
devices for attracting insect
pollinators
Pollination

Cross-pollination
Transfer of pollen grains from one flower to
another:
 Two similar flowers.
 Pollen grains from the anther of one flower are
transferred onto the stigma of the other flower.
Advantages and Disadvantages of cross pollination
ADVANTAGES
• Cross pollination introduces
variations in the progeny.
• Cross pollination increases the
adaptability of the offspring towards
changes in the environment.
• It makes the organisms
better fitted in the struggle for
existence.
• The plants produced
through cross pollination
are more resistant to diseases
DISADVANTAGES
•A factor of chance is always
involved in cross pollination.
•It is less economical.
Some undesirable characters
may creep in the race.
•The very good characters of
the race are likely to be
spoiled.
Describe the differences
between self pollination and
cross pollination
Pollen

 Pollen of different plants have different

shapes and sizes.
 Pollen are small and light so that they
can be carried by the agents of
pollination.
Pollen
Agents of pollination

 Plants generally do not transfer the

pollen from one flower to another by
themselves.
 Although a few plants do have self-
pollination – pollen from flower’s anther
pollinating its own stigma.
 These plants need agents of
pollination to help them.
Agents of pollination
 Insects (bees)

 Other animals (birds and bats)

 Wind
 Agents of pollination
Insects

 pollen will stick to parts of insects’ bodies, e.g. pollen “bags”

situated on the legs of bees.

Characters :
 They are showy or brightly coloured.
 Most insect pollinated flowers have a landing platform.
 The pollen grains are spiny, heavy and surrounded by a yellow
oily sticky substance called pollenkit.
 Stigmas are often inserted and sticky.
 Some flowers provide safe place to insects for laying eggs, e.g.,
Yucca.
Agents of pollination
Other animals (birds)
 these animals are usually nectar-drinking animals like
sunbirds.

 Characters :
 Ornithophilous flowers are usually brightly
coloured— red, orange, yellow or blue.
 The floral parts are commonly leathery.
 The ornithophilous flowers secrete abundant
watery nectar or have edible parts.
 Scent is often absent.
Agents of pollination
Other animals (bats)
 these animals are usually nectar-drinking animals like nectar-feeding
bats.
Agents of pollination
Wind

 pollen tend to be smaller and lighter in order to be carried by

the wind.
 e.g., Coconut Palm, Date Palm, Maize, many grasses,
Cannabis.
Characterstics :
 The flowers are colourless, odourless and nectarless.
 Pollen grains are light, small and winged or dusty, dry
smooth, nonsticky and unwettable.
 Stigma is hairy, feathery or branched to catch the wind-borne
pollen grains.
 Pollen grains are produced in very large number.
Fertilisation

 When the male sex cells join with the

female sex cells within the ovule.
 The resulting embryo then develops
into a seed.
 Unfertilised ovules cannot become
seeds.
 Fertilised ovules become seeds.
Fertilisation and Post-fertilisation Changes in the Flower Don't Memorise.mp4

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vMyKhxCEy1Q
KUD
K: To define the importance of seed dispersal

U: Understand the different methods of seed

dispersal D: Identify the method

of seed dispersal based on the types of plant.

Fruit Dispersal
 Dispersal
• Once a fruit and seeds have formed, it’s
essential for the seed to be moved away from
the parent plant to avoid competition.
• As with pollination, seed dispersal involves
many different vectors.
• Adaptations that we see on fruits and seeds
helps tell us what the dispersal vector is.
 Explosive dispersal
• Some plants disperse
their seeds
themselves.

• Explosive dry fruits

that shatter on contact
or when shaken throw
seeds far from the
parent plant. Some
fruits use build up
hydraulic pressure
until they burst. http://www.youtube.com/w
atch?v=FfMbw9v1e40
 Wind dispersal

• Lightweight dry
fruits with wings,
parachutes, and
similar wind-
catching structures
can be blown away
from the parent
plant.
 Water dispersal

• Hollow, water-
resistant fruits can
be dispersed long
distances by moving
water.
 Animal dispersal
• Two types of fruits are
animal dispersed:

• Fruits that can cling

to fur.

• Edible fruits whose

seeds can go through
a digestive system, or
may get discarded
when the animal
eats.
How is it dispersed?
 Mangrove

Hollow, floating fruits. This tree grows in salt

water swamps.
 Cherry

Fleshy, sweet-tasting fruit with a hard pit.

 Thistle

Small, dry fruits have long feathery threads

extending from them.
 Bedstraw

Fruits are small, sticky, with small barbs.

Squirting Cucumber
Pressure builds
inside of the fruit
until it finally
pops off of the
stem. Juices with
slippery seeds
squirt out.
 Seed Dispersal Video
• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zbQ1jWl3AO
M
Germination

The growth of the

root through
the seed coat.
Germination
Steps in germination:
 When a seed lands on a place with sufficient warmth,
water and air, it starts to germinate.

 Sunlight is not necessary for germination.

 1. The root of the baby plant grows out of the seed to
form a seedling. The seed coat falls on the
ground.
 2.
theThe
firstshoot
leaves show. and
appears Thebreaks through
cotyledons fall the soil and
on the
ground.
 3. The young plant now can make its own food with
the sunlight by photosynthesis.
Germination
 When a seed lands on a place with sufficient
warmth, water and air, it starts to
germinate.
 Sunlight is not necessary for germination.
 First, the root of the baby plant grows out of the
seed to form a seedling.
 During this stage, the seedling cannot make its
own food.
 It gets its energy from the food stored in its
seed leaves.
Germination
 Seed leaves are the parts of a seed that
protect the baby plant.
 Next, the shoot appears and breaks through
the soil and the first leaves unfold.
 The young plant is now able to make its own
food as the green leaves makes food in the
sunlight (photosynthesis).
 Note: seed leaves are the parts of a seed that
protect the baby plant, leaves are the part of
the plant that manufactures food.
Remember:
 Pollination
- the transfer of pollen grains from the
anther to the stigma of a flower.
 Agents of pollination
- animals that help plants transfer the
pollen from one flower to another (insects, animals,
water, wind)
 Fertilisation
- when the male sex cells join with the female
sex cells within the ovule.
 Germination
- the growth of the root through the seed
coat.
The
end