Question

Development of endosperm- Describe in detail.

Answer 1

In flowering plants, as you know, 2 male gametes enter the egg apparatusduring fertilization (known as double fertilization in flowering plants). One ofthe male gametes fuses with the egg cell resulting in the formation of a diploid cell, the zygote.The other male gamete fuses with the two polar nuclei located in the central cell to produce a triploid primary endosperm nucleus (PEN) and the central cell becomes the primary endosperm cell (PEC). PEC later develops into the endosperm. You canobserve the diagram belowThis endosperm formed provides nutrition to the growing embryo usually in the form of starch but may also contain certain proteins, oils etc.The nutritious part of the grain in the cereal crops is primarily the seed and its endosperm e.g. wheat, rice etc. andendpsperm serves an important component of the human diet, worldwide.

Answer 2

The development of endosperm is described below :

In a plant, when the pollen grains falls on the stigma of the female flower, the pollen grain gets germinated.

After germination, when the pollen grain passes via the pollen tube, it gets divided into 2 male gametes by undergoing the process of meiosis.

The 2 male gametes then enters into the ovary.

One of those fuses with the ovum and forms zygote while the other fuses with central nuclei and gives rise to a structure of haploid nature which is called the endosperm.

This is how endosperm is formed.