The Process Of Cross Pollination In Plants

Daylan Hartranft Choosing the Experimental Plant Variety In order to have a suitable variety of plant types to successfully complete this experiment, plant types that contained recognizable traits and that would not easily be pollinated by foreign pollen were chosen. Finding a plant variety with such characteristics allowed better control over the experiment. Twenty-two varieties of pea plants were chosen by first trialing thirty-four varieties. For two years, only self-pollination was allowed for each of these thirty-four plant varieties, with controlled breeding, until it was ensured that an accurate prediction of the traits of each plant’s offspring could be made. Of the thirty-four varieties, twenty-two were chosen to complete the entire experiment with. This selection of plants was chosen due to the precisely constant traits seen through each generation of their offspring.
Controlling the Environment In seeking ways to minimize error in this experiment, many controls were set up. The pea plants were grown in garden beds and some pots. To ensure upward growth, sticks and strings were used to support the plants. During part of the growing season, specifically when blooming, some of the plants were kept in a greenhouse. Having some of the plants in a more stable environment served as a control in comparison to the plants growing in the open air. In the open environment, the plants were subject to variation of the environment as well as possible insect visitation. Any plants that were visited by the beetle Bruchus pisi were considered contaminated because the control of their pollination was negated due to the effect of this beetle, As well, it was rarely but still presentably observed that if a flower was withered, contamination of the reproductive organ might have been able to occur; it was also observed that some plants were defective, having either never fully developed, leaving the stigma partially exposed, or having pollen that never fully