Question

Justify the statement;

Self pollination is easier, but the nature has promoted cross pollination.

Answer 1

Cross-pollination is always advantageous as it always brings together different successful traits from different parents and thus diversity in the species.

While as mentioned in the question, self-pollination is not that easier. It also has its own difficulties like:

1. Many flowers are dioecious (where flowers don't have male and female reproductive organs in the same individual), where a crossing is mandatory to maintain its population.

2. In many plants, there is an issue of self-incompatibility where pollens from the same plant is not able to fertilise that flower. Here also cross-pollination comes in picture.

3. Also in many species of plants, the male and female reproductive parts mature at different timepoint which also promotes them to have the cross-pollination.

Thus even we assume self-pollination is easier, it's not that easier and also there won't be these much difficulties arisen in plants as specified above if nature has not promoted cross-pollination. Also, the mesmerizing colours of flowers add to the act of cross-pollination.