Question

In the process of pollination, the:

a. anther dehisces, shedding its contents.
b. pollen passes from the anther to a stigma.
c. pollen tube grows through the style.
d. pollen tube enters the embryo sac.
e. sperm fertilizes an egg.

Answer 1

Pollination begins when pollen is transferred from the anther to the stigma, leading to the process of double fertilization, encompassing the formation of the pollen tube and fertilization of the egg and the polar nuclei by two sperm cells.

Step-by-step explanation:

In the process of pollination, the correct answer is that b. pollen passes from the anther to a stigma. This marks the beginning of the reproductive sequence in flowering plants. Once the pollen grain is on the stigma, it germinates, and the pollen tube cell starts growing through the style, which is part of the female reproductive organ in plants. Meanwhile, the generative cell within the pollen grain travels down the pollen tube and divides to form two sperm cells. When the pollen tube reaches the ovule, one sperm cell fertilizes the egg cell, creating a diploid zygote, and the other sperm cell fuses with two polar nuclei to form a triploid cell that develops into the endosperm. This process is known as double fertilization, which is unique to angiosperms and results in the formation of seeds that eventually grow into new plants under favorable conditions.