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Which of the following flowers that has self-incompatibility will be pollinated? Explain your answer and describe what happens to incompatible sperm/pollen tube.

a) Sunflower
b) Petunia
c) Rose
d) Orchid

1 Answer

2 votes

Final answer:

Petunia is known to have a self-incompatibility system and can only be pollinated by pollen from a genetically different plant that does not share the same S allele. The correct option for a flower with self-incompatibility that will be pollinated is (b) Petunia.

Step-by-step explanation:

The flowers that exhibit self-incompatibility have developed mechanisms to prevent pollen from the same flower or plant from fertilizing its own ovules. Petunia is known to have a well-studied self-incompatibility system. The mechanism involves a complex interaction between pollen and the stigma of the flower, primarily controlled by the S (sterility) locus. If the pollen carries the same S allele as the stigma, the plant recognizes it as self-pollen and inhibits its growth, leading to pollen tube death through apoptosis or ribonuclease activity.

Consequently, for a flower that has self-incompatibility to be pollinated, it must receive pollen from a genetically different plant that does not share the same S allele. Given the listed options (Sunflower, Petunia, Rose, and Orchid), and based on the provided information, Petunia has a well-documented system of self-incompatibility, implying that it would be the flower that would be successfully cross-pollinated by a genetically compatible different plant.

The correct option in the final answer is (b) Petunia.

User Navnath Godse
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