Question

Mention 4 strategies adopted by flowering plants to prevent self pollination

Answer 1

• Plants have developed methods to prevent self pollination. Autogamy is prevented by the following ways:

  • Pollen release and stigma receptivity not coordinated

  • Different positioning of the anther and the stigma

  • Production of unisexual flowers

• Ways to prevent both autogamy (It is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of the same flower) and geitonogamy (It is the transfer of pollens from the anther of one flower to the stigma of another flower in the same plant):

  • Presence of male and female flowers on different plants, such that each plant is either male or female (dioecy).

  • This mechanism is present in several species of papaya.