RHS Student Guide Level 2 Unit 2

to cross-pollination is the only way they get pollinated. You should be able to describe the differences between thrum and pin-eyed primroses, which is the example used by the RHS in the syllabus, and how this favours cross-pollination by bees. This all sounds like a lot but once you understand features, organs, tissues, cells and flower structure, it begins to fit together, and the processes become clear. You should now be able to discuss how you need plants to flower at a similar time to ensure pollination. In fruit growing, many trees are not self-fertile or produce smaller crops if allowed to self-pollinate, so growers need to ensure flowering groups are out at the same time. As well as this, some apple trees are triploid and need two other diploid species in order to be successfully pollinated. You should be able to suggest ways a grower can improve the chances of pollination in a given situation, e.g. an orchard. This knowledge can also be linked to other areas because, for example, you will understand insects fly only when winds are light and it is warm, so avoid frost pockets and provide shelter from winds where you need pollinators to be working at their best. As well as understanding how cells work in plants, you should be able to describe processes including photosynthesis and respiration that occur in cells. The process of photosynthesis and respiration are vital for the creation of energy stores and then the use of these for growth so understanding the inputs and outputs of each is great. You should also understand what happens when there is little or no oxygen – anaerobic respiration – and how this is related to plant health.

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