Plant Reproduction: Angiosperms with Male and Female Reproductive Organs Can Mate and Reject Suitors [Study]

Plant reproduction is a topic that has fascinated botanists and other scientists for years simply because, unlike animals, plants reproduce either sexually or asexually in ways that we may not immediately notice. Most flowering plants (angiosperms) rely on agents of pollination for fertilization, growth, and spread. However, recent evidence shows these plants can select their mate.

In the context of plant sex, a new study led by scientists in Japan explained that a certain flowering plant can mate for life and even repel other suitors. In the new research paper published this month, researchers found a female flower selects a single male counterpart by attracting it. These findings may provide insights into plant reproduction and its application to modern agriculture.

Plant Reproduction

Bees and other insects, as well as the wind, can be agents of pollination, a process of transferring pollen grains from a male flower to the female stigma. This act creates seeds to produce offspring for the next generation of plants within a proximate area or even in other locations. Yet, scientists in recent years warn that climate change is becoming a major threat to pollinators.

Aside from insect-based pollination, plant reproduction can also be done through "plant sex" involving male and female flowering plants. Based on the study published in the journal EMBO Reports on Tuesday, May 21, researchers from Nagoya University used specialized microscopic techniques to observe this internal plant reproduction process from the Arabidopsis thaliana plant.

By using a two-photon microscope, the research team observed for the first-time one-to-one pollen tube guidance, an important process in plant reproduction. It involves specific navigation of pollen tubes to individual ovules. This is made possible through the emission of a signal by a female angiosperm toward their male counterparts, specifically by elongating multiple pollen tubes.

Climate Change and Pollination

Plant reproduction through pollination has stood the test of time without human-induced interference. However, anthropogenic climate change in modern times is causing a significant impact on this process, based on previous research. According to the United States National Park Service (NPS), climate change impacts pollinators through shifting seasons and spreading invasive species.

In its 2021 report, the NPS said that the spread of invasive species, like plants such as the purple loosestrife, can injure pollinators like the Monarch butterfly. This is because the butterfly mistakes the non-native plant for milkweed and lays their eggs on it. Milkweed is the only plant genus that the butterfly's caterpillars feed on, the US Government agency adds.

In addition, a changing climate impacts pollinators since high or above-average temperatures can make plants bloom sooner than normal. This is according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), which explains that climate change affects pollinators since the latter will be left with limited food from plants. Furthermore, droughts also impact the process of pollination.