POLLINATION

POLLINATION
Pollination is a biological process in which the following grains
are transferred from an anther (male part of a flower )to the
stigma (female part of a flower).

KINDS OF POLLINATION
Depending on the source of pollen ,
pollination can be divided into three types
1. AUTOGAMY
In this type, pollination is achieved within the
same flower. Transfer of pollen grains from the
anther to the stigma of the same flower.

In a normal flower which opens and exposes the anthers and the stigma ,
complete autogamy is rather rare. Autogamy in such flowers requires
synchrony in pollen release and stigma receptivity and also, the anthers
and the stigma should lie close to each other so that self-pollination can
occur.
Some plants such as Viola [common pansy], Oxalis, and
Commelina produce two types of flowers -chasmogamous
flowers which are similar to flower of other species with
exposed anthers and stigma , and cleistogamous flowers
which do not open at all. In such flowers, the anthers and
stigma lie close to each other.

VIOLA OXALIS COMMELINA

When anthers dehisce in the flower buds, pollen grains come in contact
with the stigma to effect pollination. Thus, cleistogamous flowers are
invariably autogamous as there is no chance of cross-pollen landing on
the stigma. Cleistogamous flowers produce assured seed-set even in the
absence of pollinators.
2.GEITONOGAMY
Transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of another
flower of the same plant. Although geitonogamy is functionally cross-
pollination involving a pollinating agent, genetically it is similar to
autogamy since the pollen grains come from the same plant.

3.XENOGAMY
Transfer of pollen grains from anther to
the stigma of a different plant. This is the
only type of pollination which during
pollination brings genetically different
types of pollen grains to the stigma.
AGENTS OF CROSS -
POLLINATION

THEY ARE OF TWO TYPES:

1.ABIOTIC AGENTS-WIND,WATER
2.BIOTIC AGENTS-
INSECTS,BIRDS,SNAILS ETC.
ABIOTIC AGENTS-WIND-ANEMOPHILY
1.The flowers are small.
2. They are not brightly coloured .
3. They do not produce scent or nectar
4. The stamens are long and hang out of flower
to be exposed in wind.
5. The anthers are large and loosely attached to
the filaments(versatile).
6. Pollen is produced in very large quantities.
7. Pollen grains are light, dry and smooth
8. The stigmas are feathery and hang out of the
flower to trap the pollen grains.
ABIOTIC AGENTS-WIND-MAIZE
 ABIOTIC –WATER-HYDROPHILY
Water is a regular mode of transport for
the male gametes among the lower
plant groups such as algae bryophytes
and pteridophytes.
•Examples of water pollinated plants
are Vallisneria ,Hydrilla and Zostera.
• Even though water hyacinth and water
lily are water plants or aquatic plants
they are pollinated by insects
 ABIOTIC –WATER-HYDROPHILY

1.Pollen grains are produced in large numbers.

2. In some plants the pollen grains have a specific
gravity almost equal to that of water so they
remain floating below the surface of water.
3. In some flowers the male flowers are such that
they float on the surface of water till they meet
female flowers. E.g. Vallisneria.
4. Most of the water pollinated species pollen
grains are protected from wetting by
mucilaginous covering.
ABIOTIC-WATER
 BIOTIC AGENTS
Bees, butterflies, flies, beetles ,
wasps, ants, moths birds(sunbirds and
hummingbirds) and bats are the
common pollinating agents.
Larger animals such as primates
(lemurs), arboreal rodents, reptiles
(gecko lizard and garden lizard) have
also been reported as pollinators in
some species.
BIOTIC AGENTS-INSECTS-ENTOMOPHILY
1. They are usually brightly coloured and the
flowers are large.
2. They usually emit scent.
3. They produce nectar
4. The pollen grains are sticky and spiny.
5. The stigma is sticky and does not hang out
from the flower.
6. When the flowers are small they tend to be in
clusters to make them conspicuous. E.g. Dahlia,
Yucca ,Salvia , Ficus
EXAMPLES ARE BEES,BUTTERFLY AND BEETLES
WASPS,FLIES,ANTS-MERMICOPHILY
BIRDS-ORNITHOPHILY
LEMURS,REPTILES-ZOOPHILY
BAT-CHEIROPTEROPHILY AND SLUG,SNAIL-MALACOPHILY
OUTBREEDING
DEVICES
OUTBREEDING
DEVICES
OUT BREEDINGDEVICES
Out breeding devices are the mechanisms /processes
which the plants adapt to prevent self pollination.

REASONS FOR OUT BREEDING DEVICES

IN BREEDING DEPRESSION
The reason behind the adoption of such technique by
the plants is that due to continued inbreeding , plants
can develop a condition called inbreeding
depression, leading to unhealthy offspring.

UNISEXUALITY
If the plant is unisexual, Out breeding is the only
alternative.

NO GENETIC VARIATIONS
In self pollination , due to the same genes of males
and females, there are no genetic variations
TYPES OF OUT BREEDING DEVICES
There are several devices that the plants adapt to
promote cross-pollination which are enumerated below:
*UNISEXUALITY
Unisexuality is an out breeding devices in which the plant bears ,
either male or female flowers .Besides, the flower is also not
hermaphrodite . This is also known as Dioecism . It prevents
autogamy but not geitonogamy
Example; Castor and Maize
DICHOGAMY
*In this out breeding devices, the stigma and the anther have
different maturity times. Thus depending upon the maturity,
Dichogamy can be classified into two:
Protandry: The androecium matures before the gynoecium .
Eg : Maize
Protogyny: The gynoecium matures before the androecium.
SELF-INCOMPATABILITY
This is an out breeding device to prevent inbreeding. This is a genetic mechanism and prevents self
pollens (of the same flower or from another flower of the same plant) from fertilising the ovules
by inhibiting pollen germination or pollen tube growth in the pistil. Eg : Solanaceae and rosaceae
SELF STERILITY
In this out breeding device, the plant possesses a gene
to recognize similar genes and doesn't allow the pollen
grain to germinate. The self- sterile gene is present in
the ovule and the grain.

HERKOGAMY
Herkogamy is a naturally occurring condition where
there is a natural physical barrier to entry of pollen
grains into ovaries

HETEROSTYLY
In this out breeding devices, the stigma and the anther
differ in levels , preventing the pollen grains to reach the
stigma and pollinating it.

POLLEN PREPOTENCY
In pollen prepotency, a different flower's pollen matures
faster than that of the same flower, thus helping in
preventing autogamy
POLLEN PISTIL INTERACTION
POLLEN PISTIL
INTERACTION
•After pollination, the pollen
grains get deposited on the
stigma.
•It is two-celled having a larger
tube cell and small generative cell
.•The sugary secretions produced
on the stigma stimulate the
generation of the pollen grain.
•The inner covering intine
produces a pollen tube which
comes out through a germ pore.
•The tube nucleus enters the
pollen tube first, followed by
generative nucleus.
POLLEN PISTIL INTERACTION
•Soon, the tube cell disintegrates ,
while the generative nucleus
divides by mitosis to produce two
haploid male gametes
•The pollen tube with it's contents
, I. e. tube nucleus, cytoplasm and
two male gametes is called male
gametophyte.
•The pollen tube bores it's way
Haploid through the sigma and
passes down through the style
towards the ovary.
POLLEN PISTIL
INTERACTION
• After reaching the ovary, the pollen
tube enters the ovule through the
micropyle (Porogamy ) and then
enters one of the synergids
through the filiform apparatus .
• The extensive infoldings of the wall
in the synergids at the micropylar
end is called the filiform apparatus.
It plays an important role in
attracting the pollen tube .
• All the sequence of events from
the deposition of pollen on the
stigma till the entry of pollen tube
in the ovule together is referred to
as "pollen pistil interaction