Q.A farmer noticed that his apple trees were not bearing as much fruits as expected, despite having plenty of flowers. He observed that the bee population in his orchard had decreased significantly this season due to recent pesticide usage. Which type of pollination is likely being affected in this case, and what could be a possible solution ?

Showing the 12 most recent of 34 on this concept.

1. CBSE 2026Set EG1 markMCQ
   Q.Which of the following characteristics of flower is suitable for insect pollination?

   (a) Light weighted pollen grains

   (b) Coloured attractive corolla

   (c) Multiple ovule

   (d) Small pollen grains

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   A brightly coloured, attractive corolla is an adaptation for insect pollination — option (b).

   Pollination strategy shapes flower structure. Wind-pollinated flowers make large amounts of small, light, dry pollen and are usually dull/inconspicuous. Insect-pollinated (entomophilous) flowers must advertise themselves and reward the visitor, so they show:

   • large, brightly coloured attractive corolla (petals),
   • fragrance and nectar, …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
2. CBSE 2026Set A1 markMCQ
   Q.Which of the following is the pollinating agent of Ophrys?

   (a) Wasp

   (b) Humming bird

   (c) A species of bee

   (d) Bat

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Ophrys is pollinated by a species of bee that is deceived into pseudocopulation.

   The orchid Ophrys uses a special strategy called sexual deceit. One petal of its flower bears an uncanny resemblance in size, colour and markings to the female of a particular species of bee. When the male bee 'sees' this petal, it is deceived into thinking it is a female and attempts to copulate with it (pseudocopulation). During this act, the flower's pollen gets deposited on the b …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
3. CBSE 2026Set BOTANY1 markMCQ
   Q.An example of contrivance of self-pollination is _____.

   (a) cleistogamy

   (b) herkogamy

   (c) dicliny

   (d) heterostyly

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Cleistogamy (flowers that never open) is a contrivance that guarantees self-pollination, unlike herkogamy, dicliny, and heterostyly, which are devices that favour cross-pollination.

   Plants have evolved several floral mechanisms (contrivances) that either promote self-pollination (autogamy) or prevent it and favour cross-pollination (xenogamy). Among the given options:

   • Cleistogamy: flowers such as those of Commelina, Viola, and Oxalis never open at all. Since the anthers and stigma lie close together inside a closed flower, self-pollination is inevitable and guaranteed, with no chance of contamination by foreign pollen. This is the surest device for self-pollination.
   • Herkogamy: the anther and stigma are physically separated within the same flower (spatial hindrance), which discourages self-pollination and favours cross-pollination. …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
4. CBSE 2026Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
   Q.Water pollinated plant that grow in fresh water is

   (a) Zostera

   (b) Vallisneria

   (c) Eelgrass

   (d) Mangrove

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Vallisneria is a fresh-water hydrophilous (water-pollinated) plant; Zostera and eelgrass are marine sea-grasses, and mangroves are not water-pollinated.

   Pollination by water (hydrophily) is rare, confined to about 30 genera, mostly monocots growing in fresh or marine water. Common examples: Vallisneria and Hydrilla (fresh water), and Zostera (sea-grass/eelgrass, a marine species). Since the question asks specif …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
5. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.Write the name of a wind-pollinated plant.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Maize (Zea mays) is a common example of a wind-pollinated (anemophilous) plant.

   Wind-pollinated (anemophilous) plants produce enormous numbers of small, light, non-sticky pollen grains and typically bear well-exposed, often feathery, stigmas that trap airborne pollen efficiently. Their flowers are usually small, dull-coloured and without fragrance or nectar since no pollinator needs to be attracted. Be …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
6. CBSE 2025Set F1 markMCQ
   Q.By which of the following is water hyacinth pollinated?

   (a) Water

   (b) Insect

   (c) Wind

   (d) Both (B) and (C)

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Water hyacinth is insect-pollinated (entomophilous), not water-pollinated.

   Though water hyacinth (Eichhornia crassipes) is an aquatic plant, its flowers are raised above the water surface and are large, brightly coloured and showy — features that attract insects. Pollination therefore occurs through insects (entomophily). True water-pollinated (hydrophilous) plants such as …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
7. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.Write the agent of pollination in Hydrilla plant.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Hydrilla, a submerged aquatic plant, relies on water as the pollinating agent, a phenomenon called hydrophily.

   In plants like Hydrilla and Vallisneria that grow submerged in water, pollen grains are released into the water and are carried passively by water currents to reach the stigma of another flower, accomplishing pollination. This mode of abiotic …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
8. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
   Q.A farmer noticed that his apple trees were not bearing as much fruits as expected, despite having plenty of flowers. He observed that the bee population in his orchard had decreased significantly this season due to recent pesticide usage. Which type of pollination is likely being affected in this case, and what could be a possible solution ?

   (a) Wind pollination - Reducing pesticide use will allow wind to effectively pollinate the flowers.

   (b) Water pollination - Increasing irrigation will help water carry pollen between flowers.

   (c) Insect pollination - Reducing pesticide use and introducing bee hives could improve fruit production.

   (d) None of the above.

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Apples depend heavily on insect (entomophilous) pollination by bees; killing off the bee population with pesticides directly reduces pollination and hence fruit yield.

   Many fruit crops, including apple, are largely insect-pollinated — bees visit flowers to collect nectar/pollen and, in doing so, transfer pollen from anther to stigma, enabling fertilisation and fruit/seed formation. Plenty of flowers but few fruits is a classic sign of pollination failure, not a lack of flowering itself. Pesticide use is well known to kill or repel pollinating insects like bees, cutting off this essential service. The practical fix is to reduce/manage pesticide application (e.g., spray at times when bees are inac …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
9. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
   Q.Which type of pollination occurs in Vallisneria?

   ›Reveal solutionSolution

   Vallisneria is a classic example of pollination by water (hydrophily), and specifically of surface pollination (epihydrophily).

   Vallisneria is a submerged, dioecious aquatic plant. Its male flowers break off from the plant and float freely on the water surface. The female flowers reach the surface of water by the elongation of their long spirally-coiled stalks. Pollen grains from the male flowers, floating on the water surface, come into contact with the stigma of the female flowers that lies at the water surface, effecting pollination. Because the pollen travels ON the surface film of water (not submerged in it), this specific ty …

   🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
10. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
    Q.What is autogamy?

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    Autogamy is self-pollination confined to a single flower, requiring synchrony between anther dehiscence and stigma receptivity.

    Autogamy is a type of self-pollination in which pollen from the anther of a flower is transferred to the stigma of that very same flower. It requires that the anther and stigma of the flower mature (become receptive/dehisce) at the same time and are positioned close enough to allow pollen transfer, and it can even occur without the involvement of any external pollinating ag …

    🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
11. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 mark
    Q.Why do pollen grains produce in large numbers in anemophilous flower?

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    Wind is an unreliable, non-directed pollinating agent, so anemophilous flowers must produce vast quantities of pollen to ensure that at least some reaches a receptive stigma.

    In anemophilous (wind-pollinated) flowers (e.g. maize, grasses), pollen grains are carried passively by air currents. Wind does not "aim" pollen at a stigma the way an animal pollinator can; pollen is dispersed in all directions, and only an extremely small fraction by chance lands on the stigma of a flower of the same species. To offset this very low probability of successful transfer, such flowers evolve to produce pollen grains in enormously large numbers, ensuring that, statistically, enough pollen reaches the stigmas for successful pollination and seed-set. Such flowers usually also have other adaptations for wind pollination — light, non-sticky pollen, well-exposed stamens, large often feathery stigma …

    🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →
12. CBSE 2025Set ANNUAL1 markMCQ
    Q.Choose the type of pollination in which attractants and rewards are required :

    (a) Hydrophily

    (b) Anemophily

    (c) Cleistogamy

    (d) Entomophily

    ›Reveal solutionSolution

    Entomophily (insect pollination) requires the flower to offer attractants and rewards because insects must be actively lured to visit.

    Pollination modes differ in how the pollen reaches the stigma:

    • Hydrophily (water pollination) and Anemophily (wind pollination) are abiotic — pollen is passively carried by the medium, so the flower needs no colour, scent or reward, only huge pollen output and exposed stigmas.
    • Cleistogamy is self-pollination inside a flower that never opens, so no pollinator or reward is involved at all. …

    🔒 Start your 14-day free trial to see the full solution →