Question

What is double fertilization?
[4 Marks]

Answer 1

• <!--td {border: 1px solid #cccccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> Double fertilisation is a process of fertilisation characterised by the fusion of a female gametophyte with two male gametes.

[1 Mark]

• In this process, one male gamete fuses with the egg to form a zygote, which is known as syngamy.

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• The other male gamete fuses with the two polar nuclei in the central cell to produce a triploid primary endosperm nucleus or PEN. This process is called triple fusion.

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• Since fertilisation occurs twice, it is called double fertilisation.

[1 Mark]