Fertilization and Fruit set
- Fertilization is the union of a sperm from the pollen with the egg of the ovary to form a zygote
- For this union to occur, the pollen must grow rapidly down the style to unite with the egg in the ovary
- In some plants, pollen from a flower is unable to fertilize the eggs of the same flower, a condition called self-incompatibility, in such cases cross pollination is necessary
- Some incompatibility mechanisms are genetic in origin
- Plant such as date palms is compelled to cross pollination because of condition called dioecy, in which plants is either male or female
- This condition arises because staminate and carpellate flowers are found on the same plant
- The stigma should be mature and ready physically and chemically in terms of the presence of fluids in the right concentration and nutrient content, especially certain trace elements such as calcium and cobalt, to stimulate pollen germination