Blog Post #7-Ethan Short

           Pollination and subsequent fertilization of the ovules in the plants such as Brassica Oleracea  are big processes in producing a viable seed. Pollination, the movement of pollen from the anthers to the stigma, is essential for seed set and is a big part in seed production. Important information for any seed grower is to know is whether the seed crop species that they are producing is predominately self-pollinated or cross-pollinated. Self–pollinated plants have come to have perfect flowers that remain closed throughout the pollination process. These perfect flowers have anthers which are close to the stigma allowing easy transfer of pollen to the stigmatic surface. This short journey for pollen to move from anther to stigma of the same flower often requires some external movement like wind to stimulate good pollen coverage of the stigma. Any grower producing a tomato crop in the greenhouse knows that the plants need a physical shaking or stiff air flow in order to achieve successful pollination and subsequent plant set on their crop. Cross-pollinated species require genetic mixing between individuals of a population in order to remain genetically sound. All cross-pollinated crop species rely on either wind or insects for pollen movement. All cross-pollinated crop species have flowers that open before pollen shed and receptivity. It is important that all of these species have adequate pollen availability during the flowering period. The next step in this process leads to the fertilization of the ovules which become the seeds. After the pollen lands on the stigma, the receptive tip of the female parts of the flower, it must germinate and form a pollen tube which grows down through the style to reach the ovary. Each pollen tube that successfully reaches the ovary delivers one male gamete to fertilize an egg cell and one to fertilize in a single ovule resulting in the formation of one seed. This fertilization event requires good environmental conditions and for fruit with multiple ovules a number of independent fertilization events must occur to insure good seed set. In most seed crops this growth and maturation of seed occurs in 40 to 60 days.

This plant is a Brassica Sp before our dissected the plants. Once these plants are fully fertilized, they usually turn into plants such as vegetables, cabbages, and mustard plants.

This is a picture of the ovule. Is the part of the flower that turns into a seed. The ovule turns into a seed after the process of fertilization occurs in the flower/plant.

In this picture, I am showing you the stamen. The stamen is the male reproductive system of a plant/flower. This part contains the anthers and the filaments. The purpose of the stamen is to protect and cover up the pollen so that it does not get blown away.

This is a picture of the pistil. The pistil is made up of the stigma, style, ovary, and ovule. The pistil is the female reproductive system of the plant/flower. This part helps to reproduce the plant over and over again.

In this picture, I am showing you the stigma. The stigma is the receptor of pollen that sticks to the top of the stigma. This part of the flower sits on top of the carpel. Together, the stigma and the carpel make the pistil.

In this picture, I am showing you what the anthers look like. The anthers are used to produce and bear the pollen of the flower. The anthers sit on top of the filament which when both are put together they are called the Stamen.