what is the function of the tomato flower in the tomato plant
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Answer:
Flowers are important for reproduction and the production of seeds. A tomato flower is sometimes referred to as a perfect flower because both male and female organs are located within the same flower
The Life Cycle of a Tomato Plant
Reproduction
Tomato plants belong to the plant group known as flowering plants or angiosperms. The tomato plant reproduces sexually, meaning that it requires both female and male organs to produce seeds. Every tomato seed has a tiny tomato plant inside. When the conditions are just right, tomato seeds will germinate. As the seed germinates, the radicle or young root first appears and grows down into the ground. The cotyledons or seed leaves then appear and grow up towards the Sun and the young plant develops true leaves. As the plant matures, more leaves develop and flower buds form (see Figure 1). On mature tomato plants, flowers develop and this is where sexual reproduction occurs.
Figure 1: Diagram of the tomato life cycle. The life cycle starts from seeds and as the plant grows and matures, flowers develop. After pollination and fertilization, fruits develop which contain seeds, allowing for the life cycle to start again.
Source: Adapted from Thunderbolt Kids
For more information about tomato seed germination, read the backgrounder:
SEED GERMINATION
Flower Structure
Flowers are important for reproduction and the production of seeds. A tomato flower is sometimes referred to as a perfect flower because both male and female organs are located within the same flower (see Figure 2).
Figure 2: Diagram of a tomato flower and its fruit. The ovary within the flower develops into a tomato fruit that we eat. The petals, stamens, and stigma dry up and fall off as the fruit matures.
Source: Adapted from Portions for Elves
The tomato flower consists of four main parts:
Sepal: This part of the flower, which is green in colour, is first visible when the bud forms. It protects the flower bud before it opens.
Petal: This is the part of the flower that attracts bumble bees. In tomato flowers, the petals are usually yellow in colour.
Stamen: This is the male part of the flower. It usually consists of the filament and an anther with pollen which is found at the top of the filament. The pollen contains the male genetic information. In tomato flowers, the stamens are fused into a tube-shaped structure. They are also yellow like the petals.
Pistil: This is the female part of the flower. It consists of the stigma, style, and ovary and is located at the centre of the flower, surrounded by the stamens.
The female reproductive organ, the ovary, is located at the base of the pistil. The ovary contains the ovules. Once the ovules are fertilized, an embryo can develop and form seeds that will be found inside the tomato fruit.
Fruit Development
For flowers to develop into the tomato fruit that we eat, two things need to happen in the flowers: pollination and fertilization.
Pollination: This is a process where the pollen, from anthers, is deposited onto the stigma. This can be done by the wind (wind pollination) or by bumble bees through buzz pollination.
Buzz pollination occurs when a bee lands on a flower and vibrates its flight muscles. This movement can shake loose pollen from the flower. Some of these pollen grains may land in other flowers, resulting in pollination.
Fertilization: During this process, the male and the female gametes, from the pollen and ovule, combine. This is similar to when sperm and egg cells combine in animals. The two gametes come together in the ovary and develop into a seed, which contains the embryo, endosperm, and seed coat. Once the seeds are formed, the tomato life cycle can begin all over again.
Fruit or Vegetable?
Is tomato a fruit or a vegetable? From a culinary (cooking) point of view, tomato is considered a vegetable primarily because it is not sweet and not usually used in desserts. From a botanical point of view, a tomato is in fact a fruit. A fruit is defined as a part of a plant that develops from a flower’s ovary and contains seeds. Since a tomato develops from its flower’s ovary and contains seeds, then a tomato is in fact a fruit and not a vegetable.
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