Practicing Success

Target Exam

CUET

Subject

Biology

Chapter

Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants

Question:

Read the passage given below and answer the following question.

The pollen grains, serve as the male gametophytes in flowering plants. Upon touching the opened anthers of flowers like Hibiscus, one can observe the deposition of yellowish powdery pollen grains on their fingers. When these grains are sprinkled on a glass slide with a drop of water and observed under a microscope, a fascinating variety of architecture, including sizes, shapes, colors, and designs, can be seen among the pollen grains from different species.Pollen grains are generally spherical and have a diameter ranging from 25 to 50 micrometers. They possess a two-layered wall, with the outer layer composed of sporopollenin, which exhibits intricate patterns and designs. The inner wall of the pollen grain is a thin and continuous layer. When mature, the pollen grain contains two cells: the larger vegetative cell and the smaller generative cell. The vegetative cell holds abundant food reserves and a large, irregularly shaped nucleus, while the generative cell floats within the cytoplasm of the vegetative cell.In the majority of angiosperms (over 60 percent), pollen grains are shed at the 2-celled stage, where they contain vegetative and generative cells. However, in the remaining species, the generative cell undergoes mitotic division to produce the two male gametes before the pollen grains are shed, resulting in a 3-celled stage.

What are the two cells found in a mature pollen grain?

Options:

Vegetative cell and generative cell

Endosperm cell and zygote

Egg cell and synergid cell

Antipodal cell and central cell

Correct Answer:

Vegetative cell and generative cell

Explanation:

The correct answer is Option (1)- Vegetative cell and generative cell

Pollen grains serve as the male gametophytes in flowering plants. Typically, pollen grains are spherical and range in diameter from 25 to 50 micrometers. They have a two-layered wall: the outer layer, composed of sporopollenin, features intricate patterns and designs, while the inner wall is thin and continuous. When mature, each pollen grain contains two cells: a larger vegetative cell and a smaller generative cell. The vegetative cell is rich in food reserves and has a large, irregularly shaped nucleus, while the generative cell floats within the vegetative cell's cytoplasm.