- A Just a few hours typically pass before fertilization is fully completed
- B Days to months (up to 12 months in some species) before fertilization occurs
- C Mainly a matter of seconds pass before the egg becomes fertilized
- D A fixed period of exactly two weeks occurs in every conifer species studied
Correct answer: B. Days to months (up to 12 months in some species) before fertilization occurs
Explanation: Conifers: after wind pollination, pollen tube grows slowly through female gametophyte tissue. In Pinus, this takes ~12 months. The tube eventually delivers sperm cells to the archegonium for fertilization.
Concept context
Flower structure, pollination, double fertilization, and seed/fruit development — the highest-scoring Class 12 biology chapter in NEET.
Read the full Sexual Reproduction in Flowering Plants notes →