Question

Give an account of various abiotic agencies used in pollination along with their adaptations for pollination.

Answer 1

Abiotic agencies for pollination include wind and water.

i. Pollination by wind: 

1. Anemophily:
    Pollination carried out by wind is called as anemophily. Important crop plants like wheat, rice, corn, rye, barley, oats, and other plants like palms are wind-pollinated.
2. Adaptations in anemophilous flowers:

1. The flowers are small, inconspicuous, colourless, without nectar and fragrance (odour).
2. The pollen grains are light in weight, dry and produced in large numbers to increase chances of pollination considering wastage of pollen grains.
3. Stigma is feathery to trap pollens carried by wind currents.
4. Stamens are exserted with long filaments and versatile anthers.
5. Stamens and stigmas are exposed to air currents.

ii. Pollination by water

1. Hydrophily: Pollination carried out by the water is called hydrophily.
2. Adaptations in hydrophilous flowers:

1. Flowers are small and inconspicuous.
2. Perianth and other floral parts are unwettable.
3. Pollen grains are long and unwettable due to the presence of mucilage.
4. Nectar and fragrance are lacking in flowers.

c. It is found in some 30 genera of aquatic monocots. E.g. Vallisneria, Zostera, Ceratophyllum etc.