The process of pollination and fertilization in plants differ fundamentally in their nature, timing, and biological roles:
- Pollination is the transfer of pollen grains from the male reproductive part (anther) to the female reproductive part (stigma) of a flower. It is a physical, external process that occurs before fertilization and depends on external agents like wind, water, insects, or animals. Pollination involves only the movement of pollen grains and does not involve the fusion of gametes. It occurs only in flowering plants or plants with differentiated male and female reproductive parts
- Fertilization is the internal, genetic, and biochemical process that follows pollination. It involves the fusion of the male gamete (sperm) from the pollen grain with the female gamete (egg) inside the ovule, resulting in the formation of a diploid zygote that will develop into a new plant. Fertilization requires the formation of a pollen tube that grows from the stigma through the style to the ovule, allowing sperm cells to reach and fuse with the egg. This process is independent of external factors and occurs within a single flower
Key Differences
Aspect| Pollination| Fertilization
---|---|---
Definition| Transfer of pollen from anther to stigma| Fusion of male and
female gametes
Nature of Process| Physical, external| Genetic and biochemical, internal
Timing| Occurs before fertilization| Occurs after pollination
Involvement| Only pollen grains (male gametes)| Both male and female gametes
Mechanism| Carried out by agents like wind, insects, animals| Involves pollen
tube formation and sperm entry
Location| Outside or on the surface of the stigma| Inside the ovule within the
ovary
Result| Prepares for fertilization| Produces a zygote that develops into an
embryo
In summary, pollination is the delivery of male gametes to the female reproductive organ, while fertilization is the actual fusion of these gametes to form a new organism
