After pollen lands on the stigma, it cannot directly fuse with the egg cell. Explain the sequence of events that bridges this gap and results in fertilisation.
Generated by claude-sonnet-4-6 · 2026-06-26 01:06 · grounding rag
Model Answer
After pollen lands on the stigma, a pollen tube grows out of the pollen grain. This tube travels through the style and reaches the ovary. Inside the ovary, the male germ-cell from the pollen grain fuses with the female germ-cell (egg cell) present in the ovule. This fusion is called fertilisation, and it results in the formation of a zygote, which then develops into an embryo.
Source: Chapter 7, Section 7.3.2 – Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants
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Explanation
- The examiner expects three clear steps: pollen tube formation → travel through style to ovary → fusion of male and female germ-cells.
- Use the correct terms: pollen tube, style, ovule, fertilisation, zygote — these are direct scoring terms.
- Do not confuse pollination (pollen reaching stigma) with fertilisation (actual fusion of gametes); the question specifically asks about what happens after pollination.
- One mark each for: pollen tube growth, its path through the style to the ovary, and the fusion forming the zygote.