Science — CBSE Class 10 board question

Fertilization in flowers requires the fusion of the male germ-cell (from pollen grain) with the female germ-cell (egg cell) present in the ovule inside the ovary.

For this to happen, pollen grains must first be transferred from the anther (male reproductive part) to the stigma (female reproductive part) — this process is called pollination.

After pollination, a pollen tube grows out of the pollen grain and travels through the style to reach the ovary, where fertilization takes place.

If pollination does not occur, pollen grains never reach the stigma. Without pollen on the stigma, no pollen tube is formed, and the male germ-cell cannot reach the female germ-cell in the ovule. Therefore, fusion of germ-cells (fertilization) cannot take place, and no zygote, seed, or fruit is formed.

Source: Chapter 7, Section 7.3.2 — Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

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• Examiners look for a clear cause-and-effect chain: no pollination → no pollen on stigma → no pollen tube → male gamete cannot reach egg cell → no fertilization.
• Mention the key terms: anther, stigma, pollen tube, style, ovule, egg cell, fertilization.
• Do not just state the definition of pollination; you must explain why it is a necessary precondition for fertilization.
• This is typically a 3-mark question; three linked logical steps earn full marks.