What is fertilization?

Fertilization is the process in which the male gamete fuses with the female gamete to form a zygote.

This process is an important step in sexual reproduction and leads to the development of a new organism.

In flowering plants, fertilization occurs inside the ovule after pollination. In animals and humans, it usually occurs when the sperm cell combines with the egg cell.

The zygote formed after fertilization contains genetic material from both parents and later develops into an embryo.

Fertilization helps maintain continuity of species and contributes to genetic variation in offspring.