Unravelling the unseen world of pollination in a garden
Unravelling the unseen world of pollination in a garden Bottle gourd vine in bloom Introduction : At Willowgate Community Garden there are approximately 130 gardeners who grow a vast selection of the ever-popular Solanaceae (tomatoes, peppers, eggplants etc) and Curcurbitaceae (squashes, gourds, melons, cucumbers etc) vegetables close to each other. At this time of the year, the garden is abloom with all sorts of insects, bees, butterflies and some less-seen pollinators flitting from flower to flower in search of nectar. This creates a very interesting microcosm to study pollination in nature. Why do flowers need pollination? Fertilization occurs only after pollination. If a flower is not pollinated, no fertilization takes place. As such fruits, as well as seeds, will not form. The flower will wilt and then die without forming any fruit or seeds since it does not contribute to the survival of the plant. Floral scents, one of the most powerful ways of attracting pollinators...