Question

Mention one application of pollen bank. How is pollen stored in a bank?

Answer 1

Hint: Palynology is the branch of science that deals with the study of pollen grains. Pollen grains are the male gametophytes that consist of male gametes. two types of cells are present in each pollen grain- one is the vegetative cell which helps in the formation of pollen tube while the other one is the reproductive cell which divides to form sperm having two nuclei.

Complete answer:
The pollen grains powdery substance that is formed by the conifers and flowering plants. Different species have pollen grains which are different in shape and size. The winged pollen grains are present in Pinus species. Pollen grains are used as a food in many countries. Some pollen can cause allergies.

The pollens are stored in a pollen bank. The pollen banks provide a suitable environment to store pollens in a viable condition. The storage of pollen grains involves cryopreservation technique in which the pollens are stored in liquid nitrogen which has a temperature of -1960C. The storage at low temperatures makes the pollens viable for a long time by reducing the growth rate of cells.

The pollen banks have several applications. The preservation of genetic resources is the most important application of pollen banks. The pollens of desired species are stored in pollen banks for breeding programmes such as seed hybridization. They help in restoring biodiversity by storing the pollens as a genetic resource.

Note: The pollens are covered by a hard layer of substance made up of sporopollenin. It protects the male gametophytes during the process of their transfer from the stamen to the pistil of female plants. When pollen lands on a compatible stigma, the germination starts and it produces a pollen tube. This pollen tube helps in the transfer of sperm to the female gametophyte present inside the ovule.