Question

Pollenkitt is formed from
(a) Endothecium
(b) Middle layers
(c) Microspore mother cell
(d) Tapetum

Answer 1

Hint: This is found within the anther of flowering plants, and it is a specialized layer of nutritive cells. Within the anther, these cells are located between the sporogenous tissue and the wall.

Complete answer:
Pollenkitt is formed from the tapetum that surrounds the developing pollen mother cells and microspores. It is responsible for supplying nutrition and enzymes required for microsporogenesis and pollen maturation.

Additional Information:
- Pollenkitt is a very common adhesive- like material present around pollen grains as a yellow covering in almost all the plant belongs to the angiosperms. These pollens are generally pollinated by the animals.

- We can say that pollenkitt is found mainly in animal pollinator plants because they are very sticky.
- It is like an oily layer that provides stickiness and specific odor to the pollen and also helps in insect pollination.
- Pollenkitt is a protective envelope- like structure and acts like an adhering agent. - It also helps in pollination.
- The pollen from many wind- pollinated plants, such as grass, is much drier and not nearly sticky this is because they can be easily carried by the winds.
- The materials required for the formation of pollenkitt are chiefly contributed by the tapetal cells i.e. tapetum.
- Tapetum is very much important for the nutrition and development of pollen grains.
- Cells of tapetum are usually bigger and have more than one nucleus per cell.
- The nucleus of the tapetal cells also divide during the mitotic division of the sporogenous cells. This will help in providing nutrients and regulatory molecules to the forming pollen grains.
So, the correct answer is ‘(d) Tapetum'.

Note:
- The pollenkitt consists of lipids and carotenoids and is formed by tapetum.
- Pollenkitt is a protective envelope- like structure and acts like an adhering agent. - It also helps in pollination.
- Tapetum is also a source of precursors for the pollen coat.