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I don't understand how a fruit tree, say an apple might end up getting
pollinated by as many different types of apple trees in the area close
enough for bee travel or wind and yet all the apples will be the same, even
with all the possible different types of pollen that could have been
involved in fertilization. I suppose I should have concentrated more in
botany class.

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Think of it like the reproduction of any organism -- the male parent affects
the offspring's characteristics, but not the appearance of the mother. Apples
are maternal tissue, except for the seeds (which do differ, at least
genetically, based on the source of pollen). But there's no reason for the
pollen source to have any effect on the rest of the fruit. There are a few
plants in which the pollen source does affect fruit characteristics -- "Indian"
corn, dates, etc. But not so in most plants.

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I don't understand how a fruit tree, say an apple might end up getting
pollinated by as many different types of apple trees in the area close enough
for bee travel or wind and yet all the apples will be the same, even with all
the possible different types of pollen that could have been involved in
fertilization.

OK, suppose you have a 'Granny Smith' apple tree, and your next-door neighbors
have 'Empire,' 'McIntosh,' and 'Cortland.' When the flowers on your tree are
pollinated, your tree will produce only 'Granny Smith' apples. The genes in the
fruit producing part of the tree have not changed. Only the seeds in the apples
are affected. If you planted the seeds of your open-pollinated 'Granny Smith'
apples, you would get a mishmash of all different varieties. Even if you could
fertilize a 'Granny Smith' flower with its own pollen (most apples are
self-sterile), the offspring would not be 'Granny Smith.' They might be similar
or different, but would not be the same cultivar, which can only be reproduced
vegetatively.

Iris,
Central NY, Zone 5a, Sunset Zone 40
"If we see light at the end of the tunnel, It's the light of the oncoming
train."
Robert Lowell (1917-1977)

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In article , whiteMemphis
writes
I don't understand how a fruit tree, say an apple might end up getting
pollinated by as many different types of apple trees in the area close
enough for bee travel or wind and yet all the apples will be the same, even
with all the possible different types of pollen that could have been
involved in fertilization. I suppose I should have concentrated more in
botany class.

The fruit of an apple (or any other plant) is composed of maternal
tissue, and displays the maternal phenotype. It's only the seed (maybe
only the embryo) that has a different genotype, and might be expect to
display a varying phenotype.
--
Stewart Robert Hinsley

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In article ,
[whiteMemphis] wrote...

I don't understand how a fruit tree, say an apple might end up getting
pollinated by as many different types of apple trees in the area close
enough for bee travel or wind and yet all the apples will be the same, even
with all the possible different types of pollen that could have been
involved in fertilization. I suppose I should have concentrated more in
botany class.

The fruit tissue is all part of the mother plant. Why would
it be affected by the pollen parent? [Except that in some cases
compatible crosses may be required for the fruit to set at all.]

The only parts that should be affected by the genetics of the
pollen parent would be the embryos [and endosperm] inside the
seeds.

Plant the seeds and grow another generation of fruiting trees
and you'll see the effects of the genetic crossing as shown in
the fruits [and that's how new varieties are found].

cheers