Enlist the steps of controlled cross pollination. Would emasculation be needed in a cucurbit plant? Give reasons for your answer.

Steps of controlled cross pollination are:

• Selection of parents with desired characters

• Protection of stigma from the contamination ( unwanted pollen grains ) by emasculation and bagging techniques

Emasculation is the removal of anther using forceps from bisexual flowers before the anther dehiscence. Cucurbits are monoecious (bisexual); having both male and female flowers on the same plant. Thus the chance of self pollination is very high. This can prevent the desired pollen from landing on stigma. Hence emasculation is needed in cucurbit plant for cross pollination.