Question

A true embryo develops from the fusion product of

• A. two polar nuclei of embryo sac
• B. male gamete and antipodals
• C. synergid and male gamete
• D. egg cell and male gamete

Answer 1

The correct option is D egg cell and male gamete

Double fertilisation is the fusion of two gametes brought by the pollen tube to two different cells of the same female gametophyte to produce two different structures. The two male gametes are released into the cytoplasm of the synergids. One of the male gametes move towards the egg cell and fuses with the nucleus to perform generative fertilisation which results in the formation of a zygote and eventually the embryo. The second male gamete fuses with the two haploid polar nuclei or diploid secondary nucleus of the central cell to form a triploid primary endosperm nucleus (PEN). This process is called vegetative fertilisation.