Question 11
What is triple fusion? Where and how does it take place? Name the nuclei involved in triple fusion.
Triple fusion is the fusion of the male gamete with two polar nuclei inside the embryo sac of the angiosperm.
This process of fusion takes place inside the embryo sac.
When pollen grains fall on the stigma, they germinate and give rise to the pollen tube that passes through the style and enters into the ovule. After this, the pollen tube enters one of synergids and releases two male gametes there. Out of the two male gametes, one gamete fuses with the nucleus of the egg cell and forms the zygote (syngamy). The other male gamete fuses with the two polar nuclei present in the central cell to form a triploid primary endosperm nucleus. Since this process involves the fusion of three haploid nuclei, it is known as triple fusion. It results in the formation of the endosperm.
One male gamete nucleus and two polar nuclei are involved in this process.
