We all know that pollination is mainly carried out by insects, birds, animals, water and wind. Insufficient pollination affects the fruit and seed set and resistance to herbivores., This is because of limited outcrossing opportunities. To overcome these effects, artificial pollination is carried out by humans. In this process, we use mechanical techniques to pollinate plants. In this type of pollination we don't need any insects or weather agents. Application of this technique is important because most of the time there are not enough pollinators to perform pollination and sometimes their introduction is also risky. This technique is considered as an alternative to natural pollination.

The Process of Artificial Pollination

In this type of pollination, we use a mechanical method by which we carry pollen or plant sperm from one flower to another flower. This enables the pollen to fertilise the ovaries and create seeds that develop into fruits and new plants. With the decreasing number of bees, artificial pollination is more in trend. If we take the example of China, 100% plants are pollinated artificially. So, we can see that artificial pollination is beneficial.

Method Involved in Artificial Pollination

There are several methods which are involved in artificial pollination. Some of them are listed below:

Method I

This method is mainly used for vegetable plants, which have separate male and female parts. In this technique, we take the male flowers and remove their petals. This process should be done without touching the stamen, to avoid the pollen transfer to the fingers. After this, we have to search for a blooming female flower with its petals pushed back. We need to then touch the stamens of the male flower to the stigma of the female flower and roll it smoothly and gently, so that the pollen gets transferred to stigma and pollination can happen.

Method II

In the method we can move cotton over the stamens of male flowers to collect as much pollen grains as possible. After this, the collected pollen is shed over the stigma of the female flower.

Method III

This method is mainly applicable for those plants that undergo self pollination such as tomatoes, beans, pepper, etc. In this method, fans are set up over the branches for shaking stems so that pollen grains fall over the stigma.

Advantages of Artificial Pollination

There are so many advantages of artificial pollination. Some of them have been listed below:

Artificial pollination can increase the fruit size and seed numbers
It has the ability of converting flowers to export fruits.
It is more suitable because it does not depend on any chance factors
Through this type of pollination, we can generate a large variety of hybrid plants

Conclusion

Pollination is the process through which the pollen is transferred from one point to another. This process is usually carried out by agents such as birds, insects, water, wind and seed production. In the absence of these agents, artificial pollination methods are used.

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FAQs on Artificial Pollination Explained for Students

1. What is artificial pollination and why is it a significant technique in plant breeding programs?

Artificial pollination is the process where humans manually transfer pollen from the anther of one flower to the stigma of the same or another flower. This technique is highly significant as it bypasses the dependency on natural pollinators like insects or wind. It gives plant breeders precise control over which plants are cross-bred, allowing them to create new plant varieties with desired characteristics, such as higher yield, disease resistance, or improved fruit quality. This controlled method is a cornerstone of artificial hybridisation programs for crop improvement.

2. What are the main steps involved in performing artificial pollination for creating a hybrid plant?

The process of artificial pollination for hybridisation involves two key steps as per the CBSE curriculum for the 2025-26 session:

Emasculation: This is the removal of anthers or stamens from a bisexual flower before they mature. This is done to prevent self-pollination, ensuring the flower can be fertilised only with pollen from a desired male parent.
Bagging: After emasculation, the flower is immediately covered with a bag, usually made of butter paper, to prevent contamination of its stigma with unwanted pollen. When the stigma becomes receptive, pollen from the selected male parent is dusted onto it, and the flower is re-bagged until the fruit develops.

3. What are the key advantages of artificial pollination compared to natural pollination?

Artificial pollination offers several distinct advantages over relying on natural methods:

Assured Pollination: It ensures that pollination occurs, eliminating the uncertainty associated with the availability of natural pollinators or favourable weather conditions.
Creation of Hybrids: It is the only way to produce specific hybrid varieties with combined desirable traits from two different parent plants.
Increased Yield and Quality: By ensuring full pollination of every flower, it can lead to a larger fruit size, better fruit set, and higher seed numbers.
Disease Resistance: It facilitates the breeding of new crop varieties that are resistant to common diseases, improving overall crop health.

4. Can you provide some examples of crops where artificial pollination is commonly used?

Artificial pollination is crucial for many commercial crops. Some common examples include:

Date Palm: Natural pollination is inefficient, so commercial growers almost exclusively use artificial pollination to ensure a good fruit yield.
Vanilla: The natural pollinator for the vanilla orchid is a specific bee that is not present in most regions where it is cultivated, making hand-pollination essential.
Kiwi Fruit: Male and female flowers grow on separate plants, so artificial pollination is often used to ensure adequate pollen transfer.
Corn (Maize): While naturally wind-pollinated, artificial pollination is a fundamental technique used by breeders to create superior hybrid corn varieties.

5. How does artificial pollination differ from artificial hybridisation?

While related, the terms refer to different aspects of plant breeding. Artificial pollination is the physical act of manually transferring pollen to a stigma. Artificial hybridisation is the broader program or process of cross-breeding two genetically different parent plants to produce a new hybrid variety with improved characteristics. Therefore, artificial pollination is the technique used to achieve the goal of artificial hybridisation. You cannot have controlled hybridisation without performing artificial pollination.

6. Why is emasculation not required if the female parent flower is unisexual?

Emasculation is the removal of anthers to prevent self-pollination. A unisexual female flower (a pistillate flower) naturally lacks stamens and anthers, which are the male reproductive parts. Since it cannot produce its own pollen, there is no risk of self-pollination. Therefore, the step of emasculation is unnecessary. The flower only needs to be bagged before its stigma is receptive to prevent contamination from unwanted pollen sources.

7. What are the potential limitations or disadvantages of relying heavily on artificial pollination?

Despite its benefits, over-reliance on artificial pollination has some drawbacks:

Labour-Intensive: The process is often manual, time-consuming, and requires a skilled workforce, which significantly increases production costs.
Reduced Genetic Diversity: Widespread use of pollen from only a few 'elite' male parents can lead to a decrease in the genetic diversity of crop populations, making them more vulnerable to new diseases or environmental changes.
Risk of Human Error: The timing of pollen application is critical. If the stigma is not receptive or the pollen is not viable, the process will fail, leading to poor fruit or seed set.

8. How does the global decline of natural pollinators like bees make artificial pollination more relevant today?

The decline of natural pollinators, largely due to habitat loss and pesticide use, creates a significant challenge for global food security. Many crops are dependent on these pollinators for successful reproduction. In their absence, crop yields can plummet. Artificial pollination serves as a critical backup or alternative method to ensure food production continues. It mitigates the risk posed by insufficient natural pollination, making it an increasingly important agricultural practice to maintain stable crop yields in a changing ecosystem.