Question

What is Seed Formation? (150-200 words)​

Answer 1

Question

• What is Seed Formation?

Answer

Reproduction is the biological process where a new individual organism is produced by their parents. In general, plants reproduce either asexually i.e. without seed formation or sexually i.e. with seed formation. The parts of plants involved in asexual reproduction are called vegetative parts (e.g. leaves, roots, stem) and parts of plants involved in sexual reproduction are called reproductive parts (e.g. a flower).

Let’s learn how a flower develops into fruits, seeds and different means of seed dispersal.

Also Read: Fruit Formation

Seed Formation

A seed is formed when fertilised ovule divides by mitosis. It stores food and has the potential to develop into a new plant under optimal conditions.

Fertilization is the process of fusion of male gamete and female gamete to form a zygote. Pollen grains are transferred to stigma by various pollinating agents such as water, wind, butterflies, insects, animals, birds, etc. After reaching stigma, the male gametes fuses with the egg in the ovule and forms a zygote. Thus fertilization takes place and so formed zygote divides and develops into an embryo.

Following the fertilization, every part of the flower sheds off except ovary. The ovary of the flower develops into the fruit while ovules develop into seeds. The formation of seed completes the process of reproduction in plants. Within the seed, the growing embryo develops and matures.

Answer 2

After fertilization, the zygote grows to become an embryo. The embryo develops into a seed (mature ovule) while the surrounding ovary develops into a fruit. The embryo consists of a plumule, radicle and an embryonic axis to which two fleshy cotyledons are attached. The cotyledons store food for the embryo.

Seeds are attached to the fruits by a stalk. The stalk on maturity becomes detached and leaves a scar called hilum. Seeds are covered by a protective layer called the seed coat. When a seed gets suitable temperature, air and water, it germinates and grows into a new plant. This process is called germination. The plumule develops into the shoot system whereas the radicle grows as the root system.