Pollination By Different Agents

Pollination is among the first steps of sexual reproduction in plants. As the reproductive organ of a flowering plant is its flower, let’s know more about it.

Flowers can be both unisexual and bisexual. A unisexual flower consists of only one reproductive organ- either male or female; whereas a bisexual flower consists of both male and female reproductive organs.

Male Reproductive Part: Stamen is the male reproductive part of the flower. It consists of filament and anther. The anther is responsible for carrying pollen grains which have the male gametes.

Female Reproductive Part: Pistil is the female reproductive part of the flower. Its lower, broader part is the ovary which contains the ovules, which contains the eggs. Its upper portion is called the style, with its sticky end called stigma.

Pollination refers to the transfer of pollen grains from the anther of the stamen to the stigma of the pistil by air, water, and insects. Air, water, and insects are also called the agents of pollination.

1. Pollination by wind: Due to their lightweight, pollen grains can easily be carried by the flow of the wind from one flower to another.

2. Pollination by water: Flowers of water-borne plants can release their pollen grains in water. It can be carried to the stigma of the flower of another plant of the same kind by the water currents.

3. Pollination by insects: Insects are responsible for pollination in flowers that produce nectar. Such flowers have to be a highly colored or strong smell to attract insects. The pollen sticks to the insects’ body while it gets the nectar and when the insect visits another flower of the same kind, some of the pollen gets transferred to the stigma of the flower.