Question

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

Answer 1

As a senior biology student, to demonstrate cross-pollination in a hermaphrodite flower, first perform emasculation by removing stamens before pollen release to prevent self-pollination. Next, bag the emasculated flower to avoid contamination from unwanted pollen. Then, collect pollen from a different plant and dust it onto the stigma of the emasculated flower. Finally, re-bag and label the flower to ensure controlled cross-pollination. This procedure prevents self-fertilisation and promotes genetic variation.