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What is a pollination

Pollination is the act of transferring pollen grains from the male anther of a flower to the female stigma. The goal of every living organism, including plants, is to create offspring for the next generation. One of the ways that plants can produce offspring is by making seeds. Seeds contain the genetic information to produce a new plant.

Main forms of pollination

Autogamy

It is a type of self-pollination where the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma takes place within the same flower. Coordinated opening, maturation and exposure of the anther and stigma are necessary for autogamy. There are two conditions for autogamy to take place:

Anther-stigma synchronization; when the pollen is released, stigma should be ready to receive it.

The position of or distance between anther and stigma. Both should be close enough for pollination.

In chasmogamous flowers, anther and stigma are exposed. The exposed reproductive parts give a chance of cross-pollination in chasmogamous flowers. While in cleistogamous flowers anther and stigma are not exposed but lie close enough for transfer. Thus, the chances of cross-pollination in cleistogamous flowers are almost none. In addition, they barely require a pollinating agent.

Process of Pollination

Geitonogamy

Geitonogamy is the type of self-pollination where the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma takes place between different flowers in the same plant. Though it seems like cross-pollination and takes place with the help of pollinators, both the gametes have the same plant as their origin.

Xenogamy

Xenogamy is the cross-pollination where the pollen grain transfer occurs across flowers of two different plants. In other words, the transfer of pollen from the anther of one plant to the stigma of another plant.

Each type of pollination has its own merits. Xenogamy leads to a new variety, whereas autogamy helps to preserve parental characters. Plants have various adaptations to accomplish this task. In addition, flowers depend on certain pollinating agents which can either be biotic or abiotic. These biotic and abiotic pollinating agents are collectively termed pollinators.

Pollinating Agents

Plants utilise both biotic and abiotic agents for pollination.

Biotic agents – Animals, insects, butterflies, etc. Pollination by insects is called entomophily and pollination by birds is called ornithophily. Pollination by vertebrates is known as zoophily.

Abiotic agents – Wind and water. Wind pollination is known as anemophily and pollination by water is called hydrophily.

Learn more about Pollination, its types, and other related topics at BYJU’S Biology

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Explanation:

Pollination is a biological process in which the pollen grains are transferred from an anther (male part of a flower) to the stigma (female part of a flower). There are two types of pollination: Self-Pollination. Cross-Pollination.