Explain the reproductive advantage of preventing self-pollination in fire weed?

Question

It is my science assignment

Answer 1

Usually the advantages of avoided self-pollination are to increase the viability of offspring-- in the same way it is ill-advised to marry and reproduce with one's sibling. The offspring are healthier when their parents have more of a variety of genes to be passed on to the offspring-- there is less chance of bad traits matching up, recessive genes being expressed. (It's still the same number of genes, but the variety within those genes is greatly increased) Also, even if a gene is not expressed-- it's mere presence can make an organism more adaptable if something dramatic happens in it's environment-- more variety in parents, more variety/options in the offspring. For example, some plants have special genes which kick in under drought conditions. More DNA = more adaptability and less chance of non-viable traits being expressed-- like a painting: if two "blues" make the painting, it can only be some shade of blue. If red and blue make the painting, it can be red, blue, purple, and everything in between.