Question

One mark Questions:
An anther with malfunctioning tapetum often fails to provide viable male gametophytes. Give any one reason.

Answer 1

A tapetum is a specialized layer of nutritive cells found within the anther, of flowering plants, where it is located between the sporangeous tissue and the anther wall. Tapetum is important for the nutrition and development of pollen grains, as well as the source of precursors for the pollen coat.

Since the tapetum is malfunctioned the male gametophyte does not get any nutrition, development does not take place and hence fails to provide viable male gametophytes.