Plant reproduction & the pollen tube journey--how the females lure the males

The growth of pollen tubes is one of the most characteristic events in angiosperm reproduction. This article describes an activity for visualizing the journey and guidance of pollen tubes in the reproductive structures of a flowering plant. The activity uses a semi-in vivo system with rapid-cycling Brassica rapa, also known as Fast Plants. Isolated ovules were used to attract pollen tubes that were triggered to grow through explants of female flower parts. The activity provides insight into the in vivo situation of plant reproduction, appealing visual results, and the development of science process skills. Key Words: Fast Plants; Brassica rapa; pollen germination; guidance; flower anatomy.
Sexual reproduction is one of the most important features in the life cycle of higher plants. In contrast to animals, plant fertilization is based on the interplay between multicellular haploid [...]