Flowering & Reproductive Development
Pollination Exposure, Fertilization & Seed Set
Pollen arrival, pollen germination, pollen-tube growth, fertilization, and visible seed development are separate stages. Seed set should be used as evidence of successful fertilization rather than assuming that every exposure produces a seed.
Key concepts
- Pollination is pollen transfer, not guaranteed fertilization
- Receptive floral tissue and viable pollen must overlap
- Seed formation takes time after fertilization
- Uneven pollen exposure can create uneven seed set
What to measure or observe
- Record pollen-source timing
- Map targeted or suspected exposure
- Inspect later seed development by flower site
- Keep seed-bearing branches identifiable
Common mistakes
- Treating stigma contact as proof of fertilization
- Using one seed as evidence the whole crop was uniformly pollinated
- Losing branch identity after exposure
- Confusing developing ovules with mature viable seed
Visuals this lesson still needs
- Pollination-to-seed sequence
- Exposure map
- Uneven seed-set diagram
- Fertilization evidence timeline