Self-pollination or cross pollination can be an advantage when the number of flowers is small or they are widely spaced. During self-pollination, the pollen grains are not transmitted from one flower to another. As a result, there is less wastage of pollen.
What are the advantages of self-pollination?
The advantages of self-pollination are as follows:
- Much surer in bisexual flowers where stamens and carpels mature simultaneously.
- Indefinite preservation of parental characters.
- No wastage of pollen grains.
- Flowers are not required to be showy and large.
- Nectar and scent are not required to be produced by flowers.
What flowers are self-pollinating?
Examples. Arum lilies, tridax (part of the daisy family) and some orchids are self-pollinating flowers. Dates, box-elder and buffalo berry are self-pollinating flowering trees. There are quite a few vegetables that self-pollinate, such as tomatoes, okra, peas, snap peas, soybeans and lima beans.
