bestøvningen

Bestøvningen, or pollination, is the process by which pollen grains are transferred from the male organs (anthers) to the female receptive organs (stigmas) of flowers. When a stigma is receptive, pollen grains germinate and form a pollen tube that grows through the style to reach an ovule in the ovary, allowing fertilization. Following fertilization, the zygote develops into a seed, and the ovary often becomes fruit.

Pollination can occur within the same plant (self-pollination) or between different individuals (cross-pollination). Self-pollination can happen via pollen carried within a single flower or between flowers on the same plant. Cross-pollination tends to increase genetic diversity and is typically accomplished by wind, water, or animal pollinators.

Vectors of pollination include abiotic agents such as wind and water, and biotic agents such as insects, birds, and bats. Flowers often show adaptations to attract pollinators, including color, fragrance, nectar rewards, and structural features that guide pollen transfer. Some species are highly specialized for a particular pollinator, while others are more generalized.

Several factors influence pollination success, including pollen viability, stigma receptivity, timing of pollen release and stigma receptivity, weather conditions, and the presence of pollinators. In agriculture and horticulture, pollination efficiency affects crop yields and fruit quality. Practices to support pollination include maintaining diverse habitats, reducing pesticide impacts, and in some crops employing hand pollination or managed pollinators.

Understanding pollination is essential for ecology, plant breeding, and food production, as it links flower biology to seed set, genetic diversity, and agricultural productivity.