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🐝 Plant fertilization 💡 Mixing ideas
cross-pollination

cross-pollination

3.4
Pollen moving from one flower to another to make seeds
  • noun
  • /ˈkrɔsˌpɑləˈneɪʃən/
  • Specialized
translation icon : polinización cruzada
  • The gardener encouraged cross-pollination by planting a variety of flowers close together.

Examples

  • In seven years of tests with six hybrids, cross-pollination consistently increased kernel weight and protein.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Maximum cross-pollination occurs when both hybrids have emerged silks and are shedding pollen at the same time.

    Academic text (1997)

  • Cross-pollination between different apple varieties can lead to better fruit quality.

  • Farmers often rely on cross-pollination to improve the yield of their crops.

Synonyms

allogamy
vscross-pollination
  • Specialized
9.9

Fertilization of a plant by pollen from a different plant of the same species

is transfer of pollen between flowers regardless of genetic relation
cross-fertilization
vscross-pollination
  • Specialized
5.6

The joining of an egg and sperm from different individuals of the same species

is specific to pollen transfer between flowers, not general gamete fertilization

Antonyms

self-pollination
  • Specialized
4.9

A flower making seeds using its own pollen

How Mixed

admixture
  • Specialized
3 9.3
introgression
  • Specialized
9.9
hybridization
  • Specialized
3 6.1
cross-pollination
  • Specialized
3.4

Surface Forms

cross-pollination singular
cross-pollinations plural

Etymology

Cross-pollination comes from the parts cross and pollen, where pollen means 'fine dust' from flowers and cross means 'between different' plants. So cross-pollination is when pollen moves from one flower to another, often carried by bees, and causes fertilization.