Question

Read the given statements.
(i) Outer exine is made up of sporopollenin.
(ii) Inner intine is pecto-cellulosic in nature.
(iii) Generative cell is bigger and contains abundant food reserve.
(iv) Vegetative cell is small and floats in the cytoplasm of the generative cell.
Which of the given statements are not true regarding structure of pollen grain?

• A. (i) and (ii)
• B. (ii) and (iii)
• C. (iii) and (iv)
• D. (i) and (iv)

Answer 1

Answer: (C)

In a mature pollen grain, the generative cell is smaller and the tube (or vegetative) cell is larger. In the later stages of development of pollen grain, callose dissolves and the naked generative cell comes to lie freely in the cytoplasm of the tube cell. The tube cell has a cytoplasm which is rich in the food reserve (starch, protein, fat with mostly unsaturated fatty acids).