AP BIOLOGY

Detailed explanation-1: -Cross-pollination is the most advantageous of the two types of pollination since it provides species with greater genetic diversity. Maturation of pollen and ovaries at different times and heterostyly are methods plants have developed to avoid self-pollination.

Detailed explanation-2: -Cross-pollination decreases genetic uniformity and increases genetic variation.

Detailed explanation-3: -Xenogamy (Greek xenos=stranger, gamos=marriage) is the transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of a different plant. This is the only type of cross pollination which during pollination brings genetically different types of pollen grains to the stigma.

Detailed explanation-4: -Cross-pollination is a type of fertilisation in which sperm from one plant’s pollen (anther) is transmitted to the stigma of another plant’s flower. Cross-pollination produces more new genotypes than self-pollination. It contributes to increased genetic diversity.

Detailed explanation-5: -Cross-pollination (in which the pollen grains of one flower are transferred to the stigma of a different flower) helps in the introduction of new variations in plants.