Match the Column I with Column II.
| Column I | Column II |
| A. Tapetum | I. Irregularly shaped nucleus with abundant food reserve |
| B. Generative cell | II. Acts as the nutritive layer |
| C. Vegetative cell | III. Involved in the formation of microspores |
| D. Sporogenous cells | IV. Spindle shaped with dense cytoplasm and a nucleus. |
Answer & explanation
Correct answer: option 3
The correct answer is Option (3) → A – II; B – IV; C – I; D – III
(A) Tapetum — this matches (II) Acts as the nutritive layer. The tapetum is the innermost of the four wall layers of a microsporangium. It nourishes the developing pollen grains.
(B) Generative cell — this matches (IV) Spindle shaped with dense cytoplasm and a nucleus. It is the small cell of the pollen grain that floats in the vegetative cell. It later gives rise to the two male gametes.
(C) Vegetative cell — this matches (I) Irregularly shaped nucleus with abundant food reserve. It is the bigger cell of the pollen grain. It has abundant food reserve and a large, irregularly shaped nucleus.
(D) Sporogenous cells — this matches (III) Involved in the formation of microspores. They fill the centre of a young microsporangium. They undergo meiosis to form microspore tetrads.
NCERT Extract:
Stamen, Microsporangium and Pollen Grain – “… The innermost wall layer is the tapetum. It nourishes the developing pollen grains. Cells of the tapetum possess dense cytoplasm and generally have more than one nucleus. … When the anther is young, a group of compactly arranged homogenous cells called the sporogenous tissue occupies the centre of each microsporangium. … As the anther develops, the cells of the sporogenous tissue undergo meiotic divisions to form microspore tetrads.”
Pollen Grain – “… The vegetative cell is bigger, has abundant food reserve and a large irregularly shaped nucleus. The generative cell is small and floats in the cytoplasm of the vegetative cell. It is spindle shaped with dense cytoplasm and a nucleus.”