How is the process of pollination different from fertilization?

Answer:

Pollination is a physical process, while Fertilization is a genetic and biochemical process. Flowering plants reproduce in two ways – pollination and fertilization.

• Pollination occurs through the transfer of pollen which is the male microgametes of seed plants, producing the sperm – from one plant to the stigma (the female reproductive organ) of another. The pollen grain takes up water and germination occurs. The germinated pollen grain sprouts a pollen tube, which grows and penetrates the ovule (the egg structure of the plant) through a pore called a mycropyle. The sperm is then transferred through the pollen tube from the pollen

• Fertilization can be defined as the fusion of the male gametes (pollen) with the female gametes (ovum) to form a diploid zygote. It is a physicochemical process which occurs after the pollination of the carpel.
• If the pollen grain meets the stigma, it produces a pollen tube that develops down through the style to the ovary, resulting in fertilisation.
• The pollen tube expands down the style to the ovary’s opening, where the male gamete is deposited at the egg. Every half of the genetic material required to form a zygote, that later develops into a new plant, is contained in the male and egg.

The former one is followed by a few plants, while the latter is a very common procedure and thus followed by almost every plant. Here are some differences between pollination and fertilization listed below.

The difference between pollination and fertilization