Cross-fertilization between plants of different species or distinct genetic lines, as opposed to self-fertilization or fertilization between identical genetic material.
From Greek hetero- 'different,' Latin fertilis 'fertile,' and the suffix -ization. The term is used in botany and genetics to describe genetic mixing.
Heterofertilization is why farmers keep bees—they pollinate between different plants, increasing genetic diversity and creating stronger crops, a phenomenon so important that colony collapse disorder threatens global food security.
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