Question

enlist the steps for controlled cross pollination. would emasculation be needed in cucurbit plant?

Answer 1

Steps required for controlled Cross pollination:

1. Selection of the parents having desirable characters.
2. Emasculation i.e. Removal of the stamens from one of the parents (if bisexual). This is done to prevent self-pollination.
3. Bagging: The emasculated flowers are immediately covered by polythene bags or paper bags to prevent cross pollination by unwanted pollen grains.
4. When the stigma of the bagged flower attains receptivity, mature pollen grains collected from the other male parent are dusted on the stigma.
5. After crossing, the flowers are bagged again and the fruits are allowed to develop.
6. Tagging and labeling: The crossed flowers are tagged and labelled.

Emasculation is not always required in a cucurbit plant, since the female parent usually produces unisexual flowers. However, sometimes it may have bisexual flowers in which case emasculation is needed.