Artificial Pollination: Introduction, Types, Methods, Advantages

Artificial pollination is one of the techniques where humans manually transfer the following greens to the plant to start fertilization. It does not involve any natural pollinators like bees, birds, winds or water. Artificial pollination is one of the important topics of plant reproduction in biology class 12th and has importance from an exam point of view. Questions have been asked about the topic in the previous years of the Biology section in various examinations.

What is Artificial Pollination?

We are all aware that insects, birds, animals, water, and wind are the primary pollinators. Fruit set, seed production, and herbivore resistance are all impacted by insufficient pollination. Due to the lack of outcrossing options, this is the case. Humans use artificial pollination to counteract these consequences.

We pollinate plants using mechanical methods in this procedure. We don't require any insects or weather-related elements for this form of pollination.

The use of this approach is crucial since there are frequently insufficient pollinators and occasionally it is dangerous to introduce new ones. It is thought that this method can replace natural pollination.

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Method Involved in Artificial Pollination

Artificial pollination involves various techniques. Following is a list of some of them:

Method I

The majority of plants that adopt this approach are vegetables since they have distinct male and female components. We take the male flowers and cut off their petals for this procedure. To prevent pollen transfer to the fingers during this procedure, avoid contacting the stamen. The next step is to look for a female flower that has bloomed and pushed back its petals.

Then, to transport the pollen from the stamens of the male flower to the stigma of the female flower and enable pollination, we must roll the two smoothly and gently.

Method II

To gather as many pollen grains as possible, we can move cotton over the stamens of male flowers. After that, the pollen is discharged across the female flower's stigma.

Method III

This technique is primarily suitable for plants like tomatoes, beans, peppers, etc. that self-pollinate. In this technique, fans are positioned above the branches to gently shake the stems, causing pollen grains to land on the stigma.

Stages of Artificial Pollination

1. Different plants are used to choose the male and female blooms. The pollinating insects can be kept away by covering the blossoms.

2. Use one of the artificial ways to pollinate the flowers once they have reached sexual maturity.

3. To make sure the pollen has adhered to the pistil of the female flower, gently brush it against the stamens and blow on it.

4. Until the fruit begins to form, re-cover the fertilised bloom.

In this way, we can artificially pollinate the flowers to produce fruits.

Advantages of Artificial Pollination

The benefits of artificial pollination are numerous. Below is a list of a few of them

• Artificial pollination can improve the size and quantity of seeds in the fruit.

• It can transform blossoms into fruits for export.

• It is more appropriate because it is independent of random variables.

• This sort of pollination allows us to create a wide range of hybrid plants.

Artificial Pollination Disadvantages

The main drawbacks of artificial pollination include the time commitment and the uncertainty of fertilization. Staff members may need to undergo extensive training in artificial pollination.

For instance, growers of vanilla have an eight to twelve-hour window following flowering during which to pollinate flowers. The flower will wilt and die without developing a pod once this time has passed or if the worker is ineffective in delivering the pollen package.

Uses of Artificial Pollination

As the number of natural pollinators has declined, artificial pollination has become more common. Some of the common uses are discussed below:

• Genetic diversity is one of the major contributions to biodiversity as it supports the ecological balance and strengthens the plant against diseases.

• Artificial pollination is also effective in promoting genetic diversity as it is becoming a substitute for declining pollinator populations.

• The use of artificial pollination also helps in mitigating crops despite the limitations of biodiversity.

• Artificial pollination facilitates cross pollination which is important for genetic diversity among the crops.

Types of Artificial Pollination

Depending on the techniques utilized, artificial pollination can happen in many ways. Artificial pollination can be divided into two basic categories:

• Hand pollination

• Mechanical pollination

Each artificial pollination technique has advantages and disadvantages of its own. Both of them are discussed below:

Tips, Tricks, and Strategies for Artificial Pollination

It takes effort to remember everything in a single go. We made the entire problem easy. Some of the tricks regarding Artificial Pollination are given below which you can use to memorise the important points.

Types of Artificial Pollination

"HM: Hand, Mechanical"

• H: Hand Pollination (pollen is manually transferred from one flower to another)

• M: Mechanical Pollination (pollen is dispersed using blowers or aircraft over large crop areas)

Uses and Importance of Artificial Pollination

"BGF: Biodiversity, Genetic Diversity, Food Security"

• B: Biodiversity (supports ecological balance, especially with fewer natural pollinators)

• G: Genetic Diversity (enhances resilience to diseases and environmental changes)

• F: Food Security (ensures stable crop yields even with pollinator population declines)

Advantages and Disadvantages of Artificial Pollination

"PEC: Precision, Efficiency, Cost"

• P: Precision (hand pollination is precise, targeting specific flowers)

• E: Efficiency (mechanical pollination covers large areas quickly but is less effective than bees)

• C: Cost (artificial pollination can be costly due to labour or equipment)

Types of Questions Asked from Artificial Pollination

During exam preparation, different types of questions about Artificial Pollination are asked. The table below contains the various patterns of questions asked in other exams.

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