Question

Which one of the following events lead to double fertilization?

• A. Fusion of two polar nuclei
• B. Fusion of a male gamete with the egg and the other with antipodal cells
• C. Fusion of male gamete with the egg and the other with. secondary nucleus
• D. Fusion of a male gamete with two polar nuclei and the other with nucellar cells

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

Fusion of male gamete with the egg and the other with. secondary nucleus

Answer 2

In angiosperms, double fertilization which is a unique angiosperm feature (first discovered by Nawaschin in 1898 in Fritillaria and Lilium) occurs when one male gamete fuses with the egg cell to produce diploid zygote while the other male gamete fuses with diploid secondary nucleus (formed by fusion of two polar nuclei) to produce primary endosperm nuclei which produces endosperm. As endosperm results by fusion of a diploid nucleus and a haploid gamete hence it is a triploid structure.