Question

Write in brief:
As a senior biology student you have been asked to demonstrate to the students of secondary level in your school, the procedure (s) shall ensure cross-pollination in a hermaphrodite flower. List the different steps that you would suggest and provide reasons for each of the items.

Answer 1

Hint: The process of doing a cross-pollination in a hermaphrodite flower is called hybridization. The process of ensuring a cross pollination in a hermaphrodite flower involves a few steps. The whole technique is collectively called a hybridization technique.

Complete step by step answer:
 The steps involved in hybridization is as follows:
1.Two plants of the same species are selected for the process of hybridization.
2.One labelled as the male plant is from where we will take the pollen grains.
3.Another one labelled as the female plant is where we perform the cross pollination process.
4.The flower selected from the female plant must be in a bud stage, where the anthers have not dehisced.
5.Anthers are removed from this plant to avoid the chances of self-fertilization. The process of removal of anthers from the female parent involved in the hybridization process is called emasculation. This emasculated female flower is then covered using a paper bag, the process of covering an emasculated flower is called bagging. Bagging is done to ensure that pollen from any undesired source is not pollinating the female flower that we selected.From the male parent select a mature flower. The anthers from this flower are taken using a brush or a needle and are dusted on to the stigma of the female parent.
6.This is the process of cross pollination in a hermaphrodite plant.

Note:
Hybridization is one of the techniques involved in plant breeding. Plant breeding is done to produce new varieties of plants which are disease resistant, high yielding, etc. it is done to bring about new and desired characters in a plant.