Question

The ploidy of the gamete present in the pollen grain is
A. Polyploid
B. Haploid
C. Triploid
D. Diploid

Answer 1

Pollen grains are produced by the process of meiosis. Sperm cell in humans is a haploid which is equal to the male gamete of the plant cell. A diploid cell can give birth to a flower or a fruit.

Complete answer:
Pollen grain is a single cell which is equal to the sperm cell in a human being. It is a microscopic particle which is produced by the anthers in flowers. They are transported to the female parts via air, water etc to cause fertilization. Pollen is made up of cellulose and sporopollenin.

Let us learn about all the options first.

Option A – polyploid: When a cell with a double set of chromosomes needs one or more sets to fertilize, then the fertilized cell is polyploidy having three or more times the haploid chromosome number.

Option B – haploid: A cell with a single set of a chromosome is a haploid.

Option C – triploid: It is an abnormality when the genetic material is made up of 69 chromosomes that are three sets of chromosomes.

Option D – diploid: When the cell has 46 chromosomes that are two sets of chromosomes as in a normal zygote after fertilization, it is called diploid.

As we know fertilization is caused by two haploids to form a diploid zygote. So both the male and female gametes after meiosis have no ploidy , that is they are haploids. They will fuse to form a 2n zygote (embryo here).
So, we can say that the pollen grain is haploid as it is the male gamete which will fertilize with the female gamete. It is equal to the sperm cell, in the humans, which is also a haploid.

So the answer is option B: haploid

Note: Endosperm is a triploid cell which is formed when a haploid pollen grain fuses with the binucleate cell. This process is double fertilization. When the two sperm nuclei enter the female gametophyte, one sperm fuses with the egg cell to form embryo while the other sperm gets fused with the binucleate cell present in the egg cell. The endosperm is used as a storage tissue throughout embryo formation and development. In wheat, rice, the endosperm is edible.