As we have learnt in Outbreeding Devices -
- Majority of flowering plants produce hermaphrodite flowers and pollen grains are likely to come in contact with the stigma of the same flower.
- Continued self-pollination results in inbreeding depression.
- Flowering plants have developed many devices to discourage self-pollination and to encourage cross-pollination.
Wherein,
- Dicliny:
- Cross-pollination is the rule among diclinous plants, i.e., those bearing unisexual flowers.
- In dioecious plants, nothing else can take place.
- In monoecious plants, the only alternative is geitonogamy which, however, has the same effect as self-pollination.
Hence, the correct answer is option a.
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