Question 3

3.1

Pollination Fertilization

Is the deposition of pollen on the stigma of
the flower
Is a physical process
Achieved by external pollinating agents like
wind, animals and water and insects
Occurs in the early stages of sexual
reproduction of plants
Self-pollination and cross pollination are two
variations
An external mechanism
Is the fusion of haploid male and female
gametes resulting in formation of diploid
zygote
Is a cellular, genetic and biochemical
process
Does not require external agents
Is preceded by pollination
Double fertilisation can be observed in
flowering plants
An internal mechanism

In summary: Pollination is the progression whereby pollen grains transfer from the anther to
the stigma on a flowers style. On another hand, fertilisation is the fusion of the male
gametes and female egg cells to form a new plant seed. Pollination heralds fertilisation and
depends on such media as wind, water and insects. Pollination takes place externally, while
fertilisation occurs in the inside of the flower and does not depend on external vectors.

3.2
Double fertilisation
Pollen Micropyle
Stigma grain Pollen
Egg
tube
Sperm Polar nuclei
Style Synergids
Egg
Polar
nuclei
Ovules Sperm
Nuclei
Ovary
Antipodals
Embryo sac
The pollen tube cell grows The pollen tube One of the sperm fertilizes the egg
The pollen grain adheres
into the style. The penetrates an opening to form a diploid zygote. The other
to the stigma which
generative cell travels in the ovule called sperm fertilizes two polar nuclei to
contains two cells: a
inside the pollen tube and micropyte form the triploid endosperm which
generative cell and a
then divides to form two will become a food source for the
tube cell
sperm growing embryo

(Boundless, n.d)