Self-incompatibility (SI) is a genetic mechanism in plants that prevents self-fertilization and encourages outcrossing, affecting seed set by halting the fertilization process under specific genotype conditions. It occurs in over 6000 plant species and can be classified into various types, including gametophytic and sporophytic SI, based on the genetic control and expression sites involved. The interaction of pollen with stigma and subsequent stages of pollination is influenced by complex biochemical processes, leading to different compatibility outcomes among plant species.