Observe the diagram and answer the question.

Identify the correct statements:

(A) Vegetative cell is bigger with irregular shaped nucleus compared to generative cell
(B) Vegetative cell divides mitotically to form two male gametes
(C) Generative cell divides meiotically to form four male gametes
(D) Generative cell divides mitotically to form two male gametes

Choose the correct answer from the options given below:

(A) and (D) only

The correct answer is Option (1) → (A) and (D) only

Pollen grains represent the male gametophyte in seed plants, and they play a crucial role in the sexual reproduction of these plants. Here's how this process works.

The male gamete in angiosperms (flowering plants)  is formed within the pollen grain. This process occurs in the anthers of flowers . The male gametophyte contains the male gametes, which are the sperm cells responsible for fertilization.

When the pollen grain is mature it contains two cells, the vegetative cell and generative cell . 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. In over 60 per cent of angiosperms, pollen grains are shed at this 2-celled stage. In the remaining species, the generative cell divides mitotically to give rise to the two male gametes before pollen grains are shed (3-celled stage).