Pollination

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All living organisms reproduce. Similarly, plants also reproduce through the method
of pollination. Pollination is the process of the transfer of pollen grains from the
anther of one flower to sigma of another. When pollen is exchanged between
flowers, seeds are produced. Seeds carry the genetic information required to grow
a new plant.

Pollen travels from one flower to the other in a variety of ways. It is always
transported with the help of vectors, such as the wind, water, birds, insects, and
other animals that visit flowers.

Pollination is very important as it promotes the creation of new compounds that

may be valuable in food or medicine as it enhances the variety within plant
species. The process leads to the development of fruits, seeds, and subsequent
plants used in agriculture and for livestock feed. It also helps to maintain and
promote diversity within and across native plant species.

Types of pollination

There are two types of pollination:

1.Self-pollination:
Self-pollination occurs when pollen grains are transferred from the
anther of one flower of a plant to the stigma in the same flower of the
same plant. It can also occur when pollen grains are transferred from
the anther of one flower of one plant to the stigma of another flower
but of the same plant. During self-pollination, the eggs and pollens of the
same flower share the same genetic information which leads to a
reduction in genetic diversity.

Advantages of Self-Pollination
- Less wastage of pollen grains as compared to cross-pollination.
- It doesn’t rely on any pollinators like bees, water, wind, etc.
- They require less effort than plants as they don’t need pollinators.
- It ensures that even a small quantity of produced pollens from plants
can achieve a good success rate in the population.
Disadvantages of Self-Pollination

- Seeds will be less in number.

- Due to reduced genetic diversity, the offspring will have less immunity
to diseases.

2.Cross-pollination
Cross-pollination occurs when pollen grains are transferred from the
anther of one flower of one plant to the stigma of another flower of
 another plant. During cross-pollination, the eggs and pollens will share
their different genetic information which leads to an increase in
genetic diversity. While combining the different genetic information
the offspring will become unique.

Advantages of Cross-Pollination

The following are the advantages of cross-pollination:

- New varieties of crops and plants can be formed.
 - Offspring will be healthier as there is an increase in genetic diversity
during cross-pollination.

Disadvantages of Cross-Pollination
- More wastage of pollen grains as compared to self-pollination .

Agents of pollination or pollinators

As pollen cannot transfer itself, pollinating agents play an important role.

Some of the agents of pollination are birds or insects that carry pollen from
one plant to another. These agents are also known as pollinators. The factors
causing pollination can be divided into two types: abiotic or non-living agents and
biotic or living agents.

1. Abiotic factors– agents that use physical forces. For example- wind,
water, rain, etc.
2. Biotic factors – agents that work with living organisms. For example-
insects such as bees, butterflies, etc .

Reproduction in plants occurs by the process of pollination, which results

in seed formation, and seeds develop into new plants. It is a necessary ecological
function for survival. Mankind and all of Earth’s terrestrial ecosystems would
collapse if agents of pollination did not exist.

Pollination occurs mostly in plants that undergo cross-pollination. Plants

and animals produce carbon dioxide, which flowering plants need to produce
breathable oxygen. Flowering plants use their roots to hold the soil in place and
their foliage helps absorb rain as it falls to the ground, which aids in cleansing
the water and preventing erosion.

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