Module: | Pollination & Outbreeding Devices
Q57: Consider the following statements regarding the biochemistry and function of Pollen Kitt:
1. Pollen kitt is a sticky, oily covering found predominantly on the pollen grains of wind-pollinated (anemophilous) plants to help them float in the air.
2. It is synthesized and secreted exclusively by the tapetal cells of the anther during the final stages of pollen maturation.
3. Its primary biochemical composition includes lipids and carotenoids, which also serve to protect the pollen DNA from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
2. It is synthesized and secreted exclusively by the tapetal cells of the anther during the final stages of pollen maturation.
3. Its primary biochemical composition includes lipids and carotenoids, which also serve to protect the pollen DNA from harmful ultraviolet radiation.
Which of the above statements is/are correct?
✅ Correct Answer: B
The correct option is B. Statements 2 and 3 are correct, whereas Statement 1 is factually incorrect.
Pollen kitt is a highly specialized, viscous, and often pigmented layer coating the exine of certain pollen grains.
Causally, it is synthesized by the tapetum, the innermost nutritive layer of the anther wall, and deposited onto the pollen surface just before anther dehiscence.
Biochemically, it is composed of lipids, carotenoids, and sometimes flavonoids, which act as a natural sunscreen protecting the haploid genome from UV radiation during transit.
Statement 1 represents a classic ecological trap.
Pollen kitt is the hallmark of insect-pollinated (entomophilous) plants, not wind-pollinated ones.
Its sticky nature serves a direct mechanical function: it allows the pollen to firmly adhere to the hairy bodies of visiting bees and flies, while wind-pollinated plants require smooth, non-sticky pollen for aerodynamic efficiency.
Pollen kitt is a highly specialized, viscous, and often pigmented layer coating the exine of certain pollen grains.
Causally, it is synthesized by the tapetum, the innermost nutritive layer of the anther wall, and deposited onto the pollen surface just before anther dehiscence.
Biochemically, it is composed of lipids, carotenoids, and sometimes flavonoids, which act as a natural sunscreen protecting the haploid genome from UV radiation during transit.
Statement 1 represents a classic ecological trap.
Pollen kitt is the hallmark of insect-pollinated (entomophilous) plants, not wind-pollinated ones.
Its sticky nature serves a direct mechanical function: it allows the pollen to firmly adhere to the hairy bodies of visiting bees and flies, while wind-pollinated plants require smooth, non-sticky pollen for aerodynamic efficiency.