Question

What are the advantages and disadvantages of self pollination

Answer 1

Advantages of Self Pollination: 1. It maintains the parental characters or purity of the race indefinitely. 2. Self pollination is used to maintain pure lines for hybridisation experiments. 3. The plant does not need to produce large number of pollen grains. 4. Flowers do not develop devices for attracting insect pollinators. 5. It ensures seed production. Rather it is used as fail safe device for cross-pollinated flowers. 6. Self pollination eliminates some bad recessive characters. Contrivances (Devices) to Ensure Self Pollination: (1) Flowers are bisexual and both sexes mature at the same time (homogamy). (2) In some cases, flowers are bisexual and cleistogamous, i.e., remain closed. (3) Pollination occurs in bud condition before the opening (anthesis) of flower. Disadvantages of Self Pollination: 1. New useful characters are seldom introduced. 2. Vigour and vitality of the race decreases with prolonged self pollination. 3. Immunity to diseases decreases. 4. Variability and hence adaptability to changed environment are reduced.

Answer 2

Advantages of self pollination:

• Pollination is guaranteed.
• No energy spent on producing showy petals, nectar, scent or large number of pollen grains.
• Desired paternal characteristics.

Disadvantage of self pollination:

• Weakening of species due to inbreeding, undesirable traits cannot be eliminated.
• No new varieties are formed.
• Anthers and pistil must mature at the same time otherwise pollination cannot occur.