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Advantages and Disadvantages of Self-Pollination: How Does This Affect Plant Survival Strategies?
Self-pollination is a special form of pollination, which refers to the process in which pollen reaches the pistil or ovule of the same plant. This method of pollination is the opposite of cross-pollination, which refers to the transfer of pollen from different plants.
The two types of self-pollination include autopollination, where the pistil of the same flower receives its own pollen, and self-pollination, where pollen is transferred between different flowers from the same plant. Some plants have mechanisms for autolytic pollination, such as plants whose flowers do not open (closed pollination) or plants whose anthers can actively contact the pistil.
What Happened
Most self-pollinating plants have relatively little need for other pollen vectors, such as wind or insects. Common examples include certain leguminous plants such as peanuts. Plants like soybeans have flowers that are open during the day to insect pollination, but will close to self-pollinate if cross-pollination fails.
Self-pollinating plants usually have small, inconspicuous flowers where pollen is released directly into the pistil, sometimes even before the bud opens.
Plants that self-pollinate don't have to expend as much energy attracting pollinators and can grow in areas that lack visitors, such as the Arctic or at high altitudes.
AdvantagesSelf-pollinating plants have several advantages. First, if a genotype is particularly adapted to its environment, self-pollination can maintain the stability of that trait. Secondly, self-pollination does not rely on pollinators and can be successfully pollinated even in the absence of bees or wind.
In self-pollinating samples, pollen is not transferred from one flower to another, so less pollen is wasted, self-pollinating plants do not need to rely on external transporters, and can maintain the purity of the variety.
Also, self-pollination helps maintain the characteristics of its parents because the gametes of these flowers originate from the same flower.
Disadvantages
However, self-pollination has significant disadvantages, primarily due to a lack of genetic diversity, which prevents plants from adapting as their environment changes or as needed for disease resistance. Self-pollination may lead to depression of inbreeding, thus affecting the health of the plant.
Many flowers that have the potential to self-pollinate often have mechanisms in place to avoid self-pollination, or consider it a secondary option.
Self-pollinating plants cannot eliminate genetic defects through genetic recombination. The only way for offspring to avoid bad genes is for random mutations to occur in gametes.
Hybrid mating system
About 42% of flowering plants naturally exhibit mixed mating systems. In the most common system, a single plant can produce flowers of a single flower type, and the results may include self-pollination, cross-pollination, or mixed offspring types.
Example Species
The evolutionary shift to self-pollination is one of the most common transitions in plant evolution. About 10-15% of flowering plants are primarily self-pollinating. Here are a few examples of species that self-pollinate:
Orchid
The self-pollination process of the slippery orchid is that the anthers will become liquid and directly contact the pistil, which ensures the success of reproduction during the period when pollinators are absent.
Anhui Melaleuca
Pollen in this plant is transported to the pistils of individual flowers via an oily emulsion, an adaptation that reflects a response to environments where pollinators are scarce.
Tomatoes
Self-pollination of persimmons is promoted by changes in the flower structure, forming a structure surrounding the flower to achieve self-pollination.
Potential long-term benefits
While self-pollination produces less genetic variation, it raises the question of why self-pollinating plants still maintain the process of sexual reproduction. The study suggests this may be related to genome repair, a long-standing adaptive benefit.
When faced with the pressure of natural selection, will plants choose a strategy of self-reproduction and ultimately lead to evolution?
