Plant Fertilisation

3.4 understand that the growth of the pollen tube followed by fertilization leads to seed and fruit formation.



Steps to plant fertilization

When the pollen grains land on the stigma they germinate and a tube form the pollen begins to grow in the stigma. This is species specific which means that pollen tubes will only complete if they are from the same species.
The pollen tube goes all the way down to the ovary. Then the male nucleus travels through the pollen tube.
Afterwards the pollen nucleus will fertilize the ovule, leading the the formation of a zygote which will grow into the / an embryonic plant.
The outside of the ovule forms a seed coat called the TESTA
There is also the formation of the cotyledons which are a food store that will support the plant before it develops it's first set of leaves.
A thickening of the walls of an ovary occur (The plant will put alot of energy into the ovary walls and things like sugars and protein will build them up which will form fruits (developed by the wall of ovary/carpel)