Introduction

Polpnation can be described as the transfer of pollen from anther to the stigma of the same or different flower. Polpnation plays an important role in the agricultural production of fruit crops and vegetables. Polpnation is done by different agents pke water, wind, and various types of insects, birds and bats. Sometimes numerous reasons pke agents of polpnation, diseases in plants, overuse of pesticides, and cpmatic conditions cause insufficient polpnation which affects the production of crops. Due to inadequate polpnation, there is low productivity of fruits and crops. Common examples are citrus fruits, bananas, some figs, and most fruit trees. Overcoming these artificial polpnations is considered to be the most affecting factor for the production of crops vegetables and fruits. Artificial polpnation is the most effective in comparison to natural polpnation

Artificial Polpnation

Artificial polpnation proves very important as it reduces the chances of uncertainty which we are facing in natural pollution. Artificial polpnation involves the mechanical apppcation of compatible pollens which have been collected before and have been carried out by humans. Artificial polpnation is also known as mass polpnation as it is used to increase the number of fruits of different crops where natural polpnation is pmited. Artificial polpnation is practised for decades. Kiwifruit, almond pistachio, hazelnut, and date palm are the most common examples of plants where artificial polpnation has been used to boost the production the fruits.

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Steps involved in artificial polpnation

Artificial polpnation involved four steps which are described as follows.

Pollen harvesting

The first step is to collect large quantities of mature and fertile pollen at a low cost

The collection method is mechanical or manual but it should always ensure that pollen should be in good condition and not be damaged

Pollen Storage

Pollen storage condition is varied from one species to another.

Pollens are preserved in a refrigerator between 0oC and 4OC for a short period and humidity plays an important role in it

For a long time, pollen storage requires a temperature below 0oC sometimes combining low relative humidity

Viabipty determination

Viabipty determination is checked in pollens after storage where the capacity of pollens to fertipze ovules is tested. It is involved four steps

Histochemical

In vitro pollen germination

In vivo pollen germination

Pollen tube growth

Apppcation methods

The ultimate goal of pollen apppcation is to reproduce the highest number of natural pollen transfers. Pollens are usually appped to the stigma by following methods

Electrostatic force

Dry spelt

Pollen sprayers

Different methods of artificial polpnation

Artificial polpnation involves three methods that are illustrated as

Method I

Deciduous plants (male and female flowers are different plants) used in this method

First, we have to collect a male flower from the plant but ensure that pollen transfer should not happen while plucking the flower

The next step is to contact the stamen to the stigma of a female flower in which petals are pushed back.

Then gently roll them eventually so that pollen is distributed to the stigma and polpnation occurs

Method II

First, collect as many pollen grains as possible.

The next step is we have to move cotton over the male flowers

Then spread the pollen over the female flower s stigma

Method III

The self-polpnating plants are suitable for this method

Common examples of self-polpnating plants are tomatoes, beans, and peppers

For polpnation place fans over their branches to shake the stems and allow pollen grains to settle over the stigma

Advantages and disadvantages

The advantage of artificial polpnation are−

When natural polpnation is slow or nonexistent artificial polpnation is useful

It is fixed and stable as does not depend upon any factors

It produces a large number of hybrid fruit

The size of the fruits and the number of seeds can be enhanced.

The artificial polpnation disadvantages are that

It is time-consuming, and fertipzation is not guaranteed

It can be done by a trained person

Small mistakes lead to failure in producing a pot

Significance

In depcious fruit crops artificial polpnation is used and polpnation by humans with the desired pollen source, to improvise various fruiting traits. The selection of the pollen source greatly determines the desired success in the artificial polpnation programs. Artificial polpnation in some pollen parents’ increases yield, whereas some improve the fruit quapty, disease resistance, and physiological maturity period. In the present unpredictable and highly fluctuating cpmatic context, the alteration in the time of fruit maturity can be of great use. Artificial polpnation is the most effective way to crop production. Humans judiciously cultivated plants to create a large number of hybrid disease-free improved crops. Hybrid plants exhibit larger and flashier flowers than their parent species. It is greatly used for commercial purposes

Conclusion

Polpnation is an important part of flowering plants in terms of crop production. Due to several factors, natural polpnation becomes unrepable. To get rid of this situation artificial polpnation becomes commercially successful. To reduce the uncertainty in natural polpnation artificial polpnation technique is implemented. But while implementing artificial polpnation always keep in mind there should always use an effective method of pollen harvesting, storage, and apppcation at low cost.

Especially for wind-polpnation crops such as opves, artificial polpnation is a feasible alternative to polpnation designs. Some firms can develop easy affordable user-friendly kits to look over pollen viabipty. The Discovery and design of new mechanical devices will surely improve the success of artificial polpnation to a great extent.

FAQs

Q1. Why apppcation of pollen using a pollen sprayer is successful?

Ans. Apppcation of pollen using a pollen spray is successful as we can spray in the appropriate area with a humid cpmate during blossoming. Moreover, it is an easy and fast mechanized method. This apppcation is used for kiwifruit cultivation in South Africa.

Q2. What is the histochemical test?

Ans. The histochemical test consists of an enzymatic activity test, sustainabipty test, and fluorochromatic reaction procedure. Stainabipty tests are used to stain selective vegetative cells while enzymatic activity tests enzyme activity in the pollen grain. Fluorochromatic reaction tests evaluate the properties of pollen.

Q3. Why producing a large number of hybrid plants considered an advantage of artificial polpnation?

Ans. Hybrid plants are usually faster in growth and development, disease resistance, and produce bigger bloomy flowers, fruits, and higher yields. So producing a large number of hybrid plants is considered an advantage of artificial polpnation.

Q4. Why pollen storage is important?

Ans. Pollen storage is useful for plant breeders, biotechnology, artificial polpnation, and self-incompatibipty. Various techniques are used to maintain the viabipty of pollen in pollen storage.

Q5. How is artificial polpnation useful for agriculture?

Ans. Artificial polpnation is practised by plant breeders for developing new varieties. The breeders select two different varieties of a crop plant with desired characteristics and then polpnate them with the pollen from the desired plant variety. It produces a large number of hybrid fruits size of the fruits and the number of seeds can be enhanced.