Difference Between Pollination and Fertilization

Pollination vs. Fertilization

Both pollination and fertilization are important on plant reproduction. While this topic might be for the third graders, it is important to know that if without, absence, or decline of pollination and fertilization, there would be what experts call an ‘economical catastrophe’. Without pollination, plants will never produce. Without plant production, animals would have nothing to feed and no shelter to go home to. Without all of these, man would have difficulty coping up. Man would probably cease to exist.

Pollination and fertilization are just among the vital keys that hold life together. It plays an important role in the thing that man calls as ‘circle of life’. If pollination and fertilization stop taking place, then the balance of life will be destroyed.

Pollination, to start of, is a process of transferring pollens from one flower to the other. It is when an agent (pollinator) will spread or transfer pollens to other flowers so that fertilization shall start. This natural process was first identified in the 18th century by Christian Sprengel.

Pollination is the prerequisite of fertilization. It is rather very important in the field of horticulture and agriculture because fruits and flowers can never reproduce without the process of fertilization, and fertilization can only occur after a successful pollination. So how does the process works?

All flowers have different parts. All of its parts play vital roles for the process of pollination. The stamen (male organ of the flower) produces a sticky powder called pollens. The female part of the flower, which is the pistil, has a body part called stigma. In order for pollens to be pollinated, it must be transferred towards the stigma of the flower. If pollens are transferred to the stigma on its own, that is called self-pollination. But if pollens were transferred from one flower’s stamen towards another plants stigma, then that is what experts call as cross pollination. Another form of pollination is called Cleistogamy. This happens when pollens are transferred right before the petals of the flowers are opened. It is also self pollination but different in nature.

There are two types of pollination, the abiotic pollination, which does not require any pollinators or agents of pollination because it can sustain pollination by itself; and the biotic pollination, which requires pollinators or agents of pollination. Abiotic pollination is pollination by the wind while biotic pollination is pollination with the help of other creatures. Only 10% of the entire plant population does not require agents of pollination.

Fertilization, on the other hand, occurs only after the successful process of pollination. It is the fusion of female gametes and male gametes of the plants in order to produce agricultural and horticultural products. So how does the process works?

When pollens are successfully pollinated to the stigma of the flower, it starts to germinate. Germination occurs to give out or to create the tubular structures or what experts call as the pollen tubes. Each of these pollen tubes will attempt to enter the female ovary but only one will succeed. After that, the pollen tube will make its way inside the micropyle (the small opening in the surface of an ovule). Two sperm nuclei will now enter the embryo sac through the pollen tubes. After that, the pollen tube will now degenerate because it has performed its role. Only one of the sperm nuclei will unite with the egg nucleus and create what experts call as zygote nucleus. The zygote nucleus will turn into an embryo in which the produce (agriculture or horticulture) will come into being.

SUMMARY:

Fertilization and pollination are both natural processes.

Pollination is the prerequisite of fertilization. Fertilization cannot occur without pollination and pollination will be useless if fertilization will not take place.

In the process of pollination, external factors (pollination agents) may be needed. Whereas in the fertilization process, only the pollen grains and the flower’s reproductive system are needed to make it work.

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