Question

What is the difference between pollination and fertilization?

Answer 1

Pollination is a process that can be defined as the fusion of pollen or anther with the stigma. Fertilization is the process in which the male gamete cell, sperm fuses with the female gamete cell, ovum.

Complete answer:
The differences between pollination and fertilization are as follows:

Characteristics	Pollination	Fertilization
Type of process	It is an external process.	It is an internal process.
Time of occurrence	It takes place before fertilization occurs.	It takes place after pollination occurs.
Basic fundament	Pollination occurs when anther of the stamen reaches the stigma of the ovary.	Fertilization occurs when sperm and ovum fuse.
Physical or biological	Pollination is a physical process.	Fertilization is a biochemical process and has a genetic basis.
Need of agent	It occurs by some pollinators or agents. For example wind, water, birds, insects.	No such agent is needed. Fertilization takes place when a pollen tube enters the ovule. This is seen in the case of plants.
Requirement of external factors	External factors are necessary for pollination.	No external factor required.
Results	This process results in the fertilization of gametes.	This process results in the formation of embryos (in animals) or seeds (in plants).
Necessity of tubes – pollen and fallopian	Pollen tubes are not necessary for this process.	In the case of plants, pollen tubes are necessary for transferring the male gamete to the egg, and in the case of animals’ fallopian tubes do this job.
Example, where we can see this process.	It is seen only in flowering plants.	It is seen in almost all living beings such as plants, animals, birds, insects, humans.

Note: Around 200000 -300000 invertebrate species like butterflies, bees, moths, flies, beetles help to spread pollen for pollination. Two types of pollination are seen – cross-pollination and self-pollination. In self-pollination, pollen of the same plant pollinates the stigma or egg. In cross-pollination, pollen from one plant pollinates the stigma or egg of another plant for which genetic variation occurs.