Question

Fertilisation leading to the formation of endosperm refers to

• A. fusion of male gamete with diploid secondary nucleus
• B. fusion of female gamete with diploid secondary nucleus
• C. fusion of two diploid vegetative cells
• D. fusion of two male gametes

Answer 1

The correct option is A fusion of male gamete with diploid secondary nucleus

Double fertilisation is the fusion of two male gametes brought by a pollen tube to two different cells of the same female gametophyte in order to produce two different structures. It was first explained by Nawaschin and is found in angiosperms only. One male gamete fuses with the egg or oosphere to form a diploid zygote or oospore. It is called generative fertilisation. The second male gamete descends down and fuses with the diploid secondary nucleus of the central cell to form a triploid primary endosperm cell. It is called as vegetative fertilisation.