Question

i) What is meant by pollination?
ii) what are its two types?
iii) what are the agents which help in pollination?

Answer 1

Hint: Pollination refers to the act of transferring pollen grains from the male flower to the female flower. As we know pollination is nothing but a method of reproduction, the goal of every organism so as in plants also is to create offspring for the next generation. One of the way plants can produce is by transferring seeds from both the opposite sex flowers.

Complete answer:
There are different types of pollination like-self-pollination and cross pollination and these categories are the main ones, others maybe sub-categories. So, let us get a better understanding of pollination in flowering plants. While self-pollination is the primary type of pollination, cross pollination is a bit complex.
Self-pollination- this pollination where one flower is involved and hence it is quite a basic type of pollination. When pollens from the male part that is anther in plant falls directly to the female part that is stigma of the same flower and fertilization occurs. Such pollination is termed as self-pollination. As the name says, self- it does not require another flower or flower from a different plant. The plants which undergo self-pollination are called self-pollinating plants. Some examples are- wheat, apricot, rice and peanut.
Cross-pollination- cross-pollination is more complex as here the transfer occurs from anther to stigma of a different flower. Cross-pollination is also known as Xenogamy. It requires the help of outsiders to transfer its pollen grains. These outsiders are called pollinating agents. We will discuss it later. Generally, cross-pollination occurs in bright color flowers as their color and fragrances attract insects like bees. Some of the cross-pollinating plants are- strawberry, apple, and dandelion.
Agents who usually help in pollination are called pollinating agents. Pollinating agents can be anything like-animals, birds, insects, wind and other factors. They fall into two categories based on their living factor. A- abiotic B-biotic. Abiotic factors include pollination through wind blow or water. This type of pollination through an abiotic medium is called wind pollination and water pollination. Let us discuss wind pollination more.
In wind pollination, pollination occurs through movement of anther to stigma by wind. In a sudden wind blow the anthers are exposed during that particular time and it falls to the stigma of different flowers. Same in water pollination also.

Note:
Biotic agents like-insects, birds, bees these agents transfer the anther to the stigma of another plant. In order to suck nectar from flower bees takes away the pollens in its legs or wings to another flower and while sitting there it falls into stigma. Self-pollination also has two types- autogamy and geitonogamy. Autogamy is same as the self-pollination while geitonogamy is- transferring of anther of one flower to stigma of another flower but within the same plant.