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Question #46261
The Question
In a plant belonging to the family Asteraceae, a targeted mutation induces severe kinetochore-microtubule instability during Anaphase I of microsporogenesis. Which of the following accurately describes the structural and functional consequences for the androecium at maturity?
Options
- A.
The anthers will fail to cohere, disrupting the syngenesious condition, and the microspores will be polyploid.
- B.
The androecium will exhibit normal syngenesious cohesion, but the anther locules will contain aneuploid, sterile pollen.
- C.
The filaments will fuse into a solid tube, exhibiting a synandrous condition to compensate for the meiotic failure.
- D.
The syngenesious anther tube will form normally, and dehiscence will release viable unreduced (2n) pollen grains.
Check Your Answer
Correct Answer
Step-by-Step Solution
Explanation
How the Examiner Thinks
Regulatory_Failure
Understand how NOT, EXCEPT, and logical constraints are used to manipulate exam results.
Concepts Behind This Question
Syngenesious|Microtubule_Kinetochore|Anther_Coalescence
Why This Question Is Tricky
Common Mistakes
Conceptual Pivot: The question tests the student's ability to decouple sporophytic development (floral morphology/anther cohesion) from gametophytic development (microsporogenesis).
A common misconception is that meiotic failure arrests the physical development of the surrounding floral organs.
It also rigorously tests the exact morphological definition of the 'syngenesious' condition specific to Asteraceae, distinguishing it from other forms of cohesion like synandrous or monadelphous.
Quick Facts About This Question
Question Information
| Subject | Biology |
| Chapter | Morphology of Flowering Plants - Class 11 |
| Concept | Androecium Cohesion/Adhesion |
| Difficulty | 8 |
| Cognitive Load | 5 |
| Target Solve Time | 120 sec |
| Access | Free |