Question

Assertion :Protandry and protogyny ensures cross fertilization. Reason: Cross fertilization introduces variation in progeny.

• A. Both Assertion and Reason are correct and Reason is the correct explanation for Assertion.
• B. Both Assertion and Reason are correct but Reason is not the correct explanation for Assertion.
• C. Assertion is correct but Reason is incorrect.
• D. Both Assertion and Reason are incorrect.

Answer 1

Answer: (B)

Most of the animals have sex organs. They are either males or females. But in some lower animals, the organs of both the sexes are found in the same individual. These are called bisexual or monoecious animals or hermaphrodites. In these animals, tests and ovaries do not mature simultaneously. For example in the earthworm, testes mature earlier, while in others, e.g., sea-squirt, ovaries mature earlier. These conditions are respectively called protandry and protogyny. They ensure cross-fertilisation. Cross-fertilisation is a process in which gametes derived from different individuals are united to form the zygote. It involves the mixing of two different genetic materials. This is better than self-fertilization as it introduces variation by combining traits of two individuals.

So, the correct answer is option B.