Asked • 07/12/19

Plants that are siblings: How does this impact pollination?

A friend has two cherry bushes (prunus tomentosa). Prunus tomentosa is said to be partially self-fertile, but benefits from cross-pollination. The two cherry bushes set fruit, and so my friend saves me two seeds. I plant the seeds at my house, which is miles away from his, and now have two bushes of my own. They are in bloom. **My cherry bushes are siblings. How will this impact their ability to pollinate?**

William H.

Tomato's and other plants that are self-fertile can use their own pollen which is the male sex cell or gamete This can land on the stigma which allows the gamete to travel to the ovules( seeds) in the ovary ( tomato). The actual tomato is the ovary of the plant. The benefit of cross-pollination is passing on traits that may or may benefit a species, but in this case, it allows more pollen grains to be available to ensure a greater chance of fertilization or fruit production. Some apples, for example, need a cross-pollinator to endure proper fertilization in order for the ovary (the apple) to grow properly. For your siblings: It could impact the ability of the new plant, for example, to properly pollinate but also produce desirable traits in their plants and tomatoes such as disease resistance, taste, production of fruit, size of fruit ( tomatoes are fruits), etc.
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08/31/19

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Holly M. answered • 10/11/20

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I don't know the specifics of this particular species, but your plants should be able to reproduce even if they are closely related.

Self-fertilization is typically referring to fertilization happening within the same plant, and so your sibling plants would still be cross-pollinating.


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