Given below are two statements: one is labelled as Assertion (A) and the other is labelled as Reason (R). Assertion (A): In plants like castor and maize, autogamy is prevented but not geitonogamy. Reason (R): In these plants, male and female flowers are borne on the same individual. In the light of the above statements, choose the most appropriate answer from the options given below:

Step-by-step solution

Assertion (A) is true. In plants like castor and maize, autogamy (transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of the same flower) is prevented, but geitonogamy (transfer of pollen grains from the anther to the stigma of another flower of the same plant) can still occur. Reason (R) is true and correctly explains Assertion (A). Castor and maize are monoecious plants, meaning they bear unisexual male and female flowers on the same individual plant. Because the flowers are unisexual, autogamy is impossible.