Question

Differentiate between Geitonogamy and Allogamy.

Answer 1

Hint: There are differences between the methods of pollination and also the genetic characteristics of the resulting offspring from the pollination are different. Also, the inheritance of diseases of any of the plants participating in the pollination adds up to the difference between Geitonogamy and Allogamy.

Complete Step by Step Answer:
As you know pollination is the method followed by plants that result in future generations of the plant species that participate in pollination. Based upon the type of pollination which has occurred there may be variation in the phenotypic traits of the resulting offspring. If the pollination has occurred between the flowers of the same plant generally what we can see is a pure breed of the plant itself. In the case of Allogamy flowers of two different plants participate in pollination.

The resulting offspring is a mixed breed or an impure breed of the plants which have taken part in pollination. The flowers of the plants who undergo Geitonogamy need to be bisexual whereas that flowers of the plants taking part in Allogamy do not have a bisexual flower. Genetic disorders of the plant have a high chance of passing to the offspring, in the case of Geitonogamy whereas in the case of Allogamy the disorder may or may not occur.

Additional Information:
- The agents of pollination both biotic and abiotic may not be needed in the case of Geitonogamy but in the case of Allogamy, there must be a presence of a pollination agent.
- In many cases, to have a successful hybrid, emasculation, and bagging are done in bisexual flowers after dusting the pollen of the desired plant upon the stigma of the plant to deliberately produce hybrid and obtain certain desired traits in the offspring.
- Emasculation is the process of cutting the stamen of the flower whose stigma is dusted with the pollen from the stamen of another plant.
- Bagging prevents any further deposition of pollen from other plants.
- For allogamy to occur, the plants taking part in the pollination process must have unisexual flowers.

Note:
- You must take note that Geitonogamy is not thNe only process of self- fertilization.
- Autogamy is self- fertilization of the stigma from the pollen of the same flower, it is very close to geitonogamy but they are not the same, so you must take care of that.