Q.(a) Do all pollen grains remain viable for the same length of time ? Support your answer with two suitable examples.
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Start your 14-day free trial to unlock the full solution →Pollen grains do not all remain viable for the same length of time; their lifespan varies widely across species, and pollen banks store them under controlled conditions to preserve viability for breeding and research.
(a) No, pollen grains do not remain viable for the same length of time. Viability — the ability of a pollen grain to germinate on a compatible stigma — depends heavily on the species and environmental factors like temperature and humidity. In some plants, pollen remains viable for only a few minutes after release. For instance, in members of the grass family (Poaceae), pollen grains typically lose viability within 30 minutes of being shed. This is because grass pollen is often thin-walled and adapted for wind dispersal over short distances, so it does not need to survive long. At the other extreme, pollen of some plants can remain viable for months. A classic example is the pollen of many legumes, such as pea (Pisum sativum) or bean, which can stay viable for several months under natural conditions. Even more striking is the pollen of some members of the rose family (Rosaceae), like apple or pear, which can remain viable for up to a year if stored properly. The NCERT textbook specifically notes that pollen viability varies from species to species, and it gives the example of rice and wheat — whose pollen remains viable for only a few minutes — versus members of the Solanaceae family (like tomato, potato, and brinjal), whose pollen can stay viable for months. So the key point is that there is no universal lifespan; it is a species-specific trait shaped by the plant's reproductive strategy.
Viability is not the same as longevity. A pollen grain may be structurally intact but unable to germinate. Testing viability often involves staining with chemicals like acetocarmine or using an in vitro germination test. …
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