Final answer:
True, Pollination is the transfer of pollen from the male to female parts of a plant and must occur before fertilization, which is the fusion of sperm and egg cells within the plant ovule. Self-pollination and cross-pollination are two forms of pollination that can facilitate this process.
Step-by-step explanation:
The student asked whether pollination must occur before fertilization. The answer is true; pollination is indeed a necessary prerequisite for fertilization in plants. Pollination involves the transfer of pollen from the male reproductive organs to the female reproductive organs of a plant. This can occur via self-pollination or cross-pollination. In self-pollination, pollen from the anther is deposited on the stigma of the same flower or another flower on the same plant, whereas in cross-pollination, pollen is transferred from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower on a different individual of the same species, often with the help of pollinators like bees, wind, or water.
After pollination, the pollen tube is formed, allowing the transfer of the sperm cells to the ovule. One sperm cell will fertilize the egg, resulting in a diploid zygote, while the other sperm cell typically fuses with two polar nuclei to form a triploid cell that becomes the endosperm, a phenomenon known as double fertilization. From the fertilized ovule, a seed will develop, potentially growing into a new plant if conditions are favorable. Given that pollination is essential for the transport of sperm to the egg, it must occur before fertilization.