POLLEN-PISTIL INTERACTION:

Recognition Of Compatible pollen:

 The stigma/pistil has the ability to recognize the right type of pollen i.e. the compatible

pollen of the same species.

 It is the result of interaction between the chemical component of the pollen and those of

stigma.

Germination of pollen grain on stigma and growth of pollen tube:

 Pollen grains reach the receptive stigma of

the pistil by the act of pollination.

 Pollen grains, after getting attached to the

stigma, absorb water and swell.

 Pollen grain germinates on the stigma to

produce a pollen tube through one of the

germ pores.

 The contents of the pollen grain move into

the pollen tube that is the tube nucleus and

two male gametes (generative cell).

 The pollen tube grows through the tissues

of the stigma and style and enters the ovule

through micropyle.

 It enters the embryo sac through the filiform apparatus of one of the synergids to liberate

the male gametes.

  The filiform apparatus of the synergids direct the growth of pollen tube by secreting some

chemical substances.

 The tip of pollen tube enters into one synergid. The penetrated synergid starts

degenerating.

 After penetration, the tip of pollen tube enlarges and ruptures releasing most of its

contents including the two male gametes and the vegetative nucleus into the synergid.

 The events from the deposition of pollen on the stigma till the pollen tube enters the ovule are

collectively referred to as pollen-pistil interaction.

DOUBLE FERTILIZATION

 The pollen tube releases the two male gametes into the cytoplasm of a synergids.

 One male gametes fuses with egg cell to form diploid zygote: called syngamy

Male gamete + Egg cell Zygote (2n)

 Second male gamete fuses with the secondary nucleus (polar nuclei) in the central cell to

produce a triploid primary endosperm nucleus (PEN): Triple fusion

Male gamete + Secondary nucleus  Primary endosperm nucleus (PEN)(3n)

 Together, Syngamy and triple fusion occur in an embryo sac, the phenomenon is known

as Double Fertilization

 The central cell with the primary endosperm nucleus is called primary endosperm cell

(PEC)